Catholic Church Responds to Claims that Pope Ordered Bishop to Return Car Gifted by DP Ruto

The head of the Catholic Church in Kenya, Cardinal John Njue has appeared to deny reports that Pope Francis directed the church to return a car gifted to Kisumu Diocese Archbishop Philip Anyolo by Deputy President William Ruto. 

This comes after Opposition leader Raila Odinga claimed that the Pontiff had ordered the Sh4 million luxury car be returned to the giver over suspicions that it was acquired through proceeds of corruption.

“Recently, during the installation of Archbishop of Catholic Diocese of Kisumu, someone (Ruto) 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 is returned. And, true to his instruction, the car was returned because it was acquired from proceeds of corruption," Odinga said on Saturday.

Speaking to the Daily Nation, Cardinal Njue says he's not aware of such a communication from Pope Francis.

“I am not aware of how the comments came about. I don’t know about claims that the Holy Pope directed the Church to return the gift,” says Njue.

The claims by Odinga angered DP Ruto who took to Twitter to say: "The master of deceit as always is spewing desperate lies. 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!" 

Archbishop Anyolo has since confirmed that he donated the luxury vehicle to an organization that needed it more than he did.

The clergyman explained that he already had a brand new car by the time Ruto gifted him the Mitsubishi Pajero.

"The institution where I donated the Pajero is free to sell the vehicle and use proceeds from the sale to better the society," he states.