Bishop Maria Wainaina of the Catholic Diocese of Murang’a has respectfully declined gifts offered by Members of the Kirinyaga County Assembly (MCAs), urging instead that the donations be redirected to a more deserving cause a school for the deaf in Kerugoya.
During a church function attended by several ward representatives, Bishop Wainaina expressed appreciation for the kind gesture but stressed the importance of prioritising the needs of the less fortunate.
“I thank you very much, but let us give the donations to more deserving people,” Bishop Wainaina said. “There are students at the School for the Deaf in Kerugoya. Take it to them.”
The bishop’s appeal was warmly received by the MCAs, with one of them suggesting that the items be collected on-site and taken to the school after receiving a blessing from the bishop. “If you can allow it, we can collect the donations here and then take them to the school. We want you to pray for the donations before we take them there,” the MCA requested.
Bishop Wainaina’s decision comes amid increasing scrutiny of the Church’s role in Kenya’s political space. In recent years, the Catholic Church has taken deliberate steps to distance itself from political influence through financial gifts and public endorsements. This movement gained national attention last year when the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, led by Bishop Philip Anyolo, rejected a Ksh5.8 million donation from President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja during a service at Soweto Catholic Church.
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has issued directives barring politicians from using church platforms for political mileage, including the offering of donations during services.
Bishop Wainaina’s action in Kirinyaga reflects this ongoing resolve within the Church — to remain an impartial moral authority and to ensure that church engagements result in tangible, non-political benefits to the community. By redirecting donations to a school for the deaf, the bishop not only upheld the Church’s principles but also amplified the call to serve the vulnerable in society.
