No money is labelled clean or dirty, we will accept both, says ACK Bishop

 

ACK Diocese of Mt Kenya Central Bishop Timothy Gichere hit out at leaders accusing churches of accepting money from proceeds of corruption. (Courtesy)

An Anglican Church of Kenya Bishop has defended politicians under attack for contributing 'dirty' money in church, saying there is no money in Kenya labelled clean or dirty.

Mt Kenya Central Diocese Bishop Timothy Githere urged the church to continue receiving donations from anyone who gives with a free heart until that time one is declared corrupt by the courts.

"There is no clear mechanism to distinguish between “clean” and dirty money therefore we should not judge anyone,” he said.

Speaking in Murang’a on Sunday during Easter celebrations, Bishop Gichere said no one should label or condemn others as corrupt because everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“When leaders come to church and give donations, we cannot decline their contributions because we don’t know where the money is coming from and we should not judge them because that is the sole mandate of the courts,” Githere said.

He cautioned politicians against interfering with the current war on graft, adding that institutions mandated to deal with graft should take up the matter not leaders.

“Let the investigations go on without being politicising the war on graft so that the culprits can be arrested and charged,” he said.

At the same time, the bishop urged leaders not to use the pulpit to spread propaganda and hatred.

“It is unfair for politicians to be using the church as a campaign platform and to spread hate,” he said.

This comes after Anglican Church Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit urged the government to intensify the fight against graft, saying, all culprits should be punished and forced to pay back the loot.

In his Easter Sunday message at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, Sapit said the church was concerned about the scandals being reported by the media and the Auditor-General’s report, touching on both the county and national governments.

The archbishop called on the church to hold itself accountable for actions that promote corruption, saying the church was pondering banning fundraisers in its sanctuaries.

“As much as harambees help in developing society, the Anglican Church of Kenya is evaluating holding of fundraisers in its sanctuaries by politicians and the people we normally term as guests of honour,” he said.

Christians who hold fundraisers, he said, should be guided by the biblical principle of integrity and humility, adding that the values of integrity and hard work have been eroded over the years in churches and in the public and private sectors, thanks to “unbridled greed”.

Elsewhere, Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya leader Kalonzo Musyoka has asked the church to help Kenyans fight rampant corruption.

Musyoka said the clergy should interrogate the sources of funds that leaders bring to church as contributions.

ODM leader Raila Odinga had also claimed last week that the funds donated by a section of leaders to churches across the country were proceeds of corruption.

He accused some religious leaders of allowing their churches to be used for money laundering.