The Catholic Church has refuted claims that the Pope instructed Archbishop of Kisumu Philip Anyolo to return a donated vehicle, as political tensions between Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga escalated over the gift.
Odinga alleged at a Ugenya funeral on Saturday that the Vatican demanded the Mitsubishi Pajero be returned, accusing officials of accepting assets from those accused of embezzling public funds. He criticized rising taxes and commodity prices, urging citizens to confront such donations.
Ruto responded via Twitter, calling Odinga a 'master of deceit' and defending the gift as a collective contribution from Christian leaders, including himself. He referenced 'evil spirits' in a cryptic remark.
Cardinal John Njue, head of the Catholic Church, stated he was unaware of any papal directive to return the vehicle. Archbishop Anyolo clarified that the car was donated before his January installation but remains unregistered and unused, emphasizing it belongs to the diocese rather than him personally.
The archbishop noted the Church lacks mechanisms to verify if gifts stem from corruption, stating such determinations would be complex. He confirmed using a separate Prado V8 purchased by congregants.
