Kisumu Diocese Archbishop Phillip Anyolo donated a Ksh4 million vehicle he was gifted by Deputy President William Ruto during his [Anyolo’s] installation early January, 2019.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Saturday, Anyolo revealed that he did not need the Mitsubishi Pajero 2012 model. He ordered the car be given to another institution which he explained would benefit from it more than he would.
“The institution where I donated the Pajero is free to sell the vehicle and use proceeds from the sale to embetter the society,” he stated
Archbishop Anyolo further said he uses a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 that the Catholic believers in Kisumu gifted him on his installation day.
Mr Ruto, who attended the January 12 ceremony, gave Archbishop Anyolo a Mitsubishi Pajero 2012 model. The DP had said that the vehicle was a gift from him and President Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, ODM Leader Raila Odinga speaking in Siaya at the burial ceremony of retired Chief Daudi Olak said that, Pope Francis directed Archbishop Anyolo’s team to return the Mitsubishi Pajero gift to its giver, citing potential tainted money having been used to purchase the vehicle.
“Recently, during the installation of Archbishop of Catholic Diocese of Kisumu, someone took a vehicle to the bishop as a gift. When the Pope was informed that the Archbishop had received a car gift, he [Pope Francis] ordered that the vehicle be returned. And, true to his instruction, the car was returned because it was acquired from proceeds of corruption”, Raila Said.
Archbishop Anyolo has, however, refuted claims that Pope Francis instructed him to return the vehicle.