Police Fire Tear Gas, Arrest Protesters Over President $155,000 Church Donation
Clashes broke out as protesters tried to force their way into the church, lighting fires and blocking roads with rocks.
Protesters attempting to occupy a church in Nairobi that recently received a substantial donation from President William Ruto, have been dispersed by Kenyan police with tear gas.
It was learnt that several youths were also arrested following the protest.
BBC reports that the demonstrators, angered by the high cost of living, targeted the Jesus Winner Ministry in the Roysambu suburb, where Ruto had donated 20 million shillings ($155,000; £120,000).
Clashes broke out as protesters tried to force their way into the church, lighting fires and blocking roads with rocks.
Several people were arrested, but the church service proceeded under heavy security, local media reported.
According to the report, Bishop Edward Mwai of Jesus Winner Ministry condemned the protest, accusing unnamed individuals of mobilising “thugs” to disrupt worship.
President Ruto, a devout evangelical Christian, defended his donation, saying it was part of an effort to combat moral decay in the country.
“Kenya must know God so that we shame the people who are telling us that we cannot associate with the church,” he said at another church service in Eldoret, where he pledged a similar donation.
The donation has drawn widespread criticism, especially among young Kenyans struggling with increased taxes and a soaring cost of living.
Ruto has argued that tax hikes were necessary to address Kenya’s mounting debt, inherited from the previous administration. However, critics insist he should prioritise cutting public spending and tackling corruption instead.
Last year, Kenya’s Catholic and Anglican leaders rejected political donations, warning that churches should not be used for political purposes.
In 2023, nationwide protests over tax increases forced Ruto to withdraw a controversial Finance Bill.
