Archbishop Anyolo said there were no requests from anywhere to return some of the gifts/CFM NEWS
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 3 – Archbishop Philip Anyolo now says gifts he received on behalf of the Catholic Church after he was installed as the head of Kisumu archdiocese – including two cars – are still with the church.
He emphasised to Capital FM News on phone Sunday evening the gifts belong to the church.
“I received two cars and other gifts… all these belong to the church. The vehicles are still with the church,” he emphasised, stressing that they “are not personal”.
Archbishop Anyolo said there were no requests from anywhere to return some of the gifts.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga kicked up a storm at the weekend when he claimed that one of the cars for which Deputy President William Ruto contributed had been returned.
Odinga was quoted as saying the church rejected the vehicle “because it was bought using dirty money. The Pope insisted that the vehicle be returned. We should stand for the truth,” he said during a funeral.
But in a response Sunday, DP Ruto hit back describing Odinga as a master of deceit.
“The car gift was bought by Christian leaders including UK and myself at the request of the chair of Catholic MPs. Understandably empowering the church offends magicians and the evil spirits they worship. Shetani ashindwe!,” DP Ruto tweeted.
The second vehicle, a Toyota V8 was donated by the congregation.
As the head of the Kisumu Metropolitan, Archbishop Anyolo is in charge of an area that covers Lodwar, Kitale, Bungoma, Kakamega, Eldoret, Homa Bay and Kisii.
The car donated by Catholic MPs and DP Ruto/CFM NEWS
On Sunday, MP Wamalwa waded into the debate saying as the Chairman of Catholic MPs, he lobbied colleagues to raise funds to buy the car to enable the church carry out its work given the expansive area the Archbishop has to cover.
“It is us who organised a mini-harambee for buying archbishop a vehicle and we requested the President and Deputy President to be our guests but the President sent the Deputy President.
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