Catholic Church Rejects, Returns MP Simba Arati's Sh100,000 Donation

Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati has spoken out after a Catholic Church in Kisii returned the money he donated.

Arati, who is eying the Kisii gubernatorial seat in the 2022 general elections, termed the church leadership’s decision to return Sh100,000 donation to him as politically motivated, saying a section of church leaders is being used by some politicians to frustrate their opponents.

“I gave out money to several leaders in the church. Why then are they claiming to have returned part of the money? Why are they not returning the rest, which amounts to more than Sh300,000,” Arati posed.

Arati says a shouting match between supporters of different politicians was witnessed at Nyamagwa Catholic Parish in Kisii on Sunday during a mass presided over by Herbertus Van Megen, the representative of the Pope in Kenya.

“…there was shouting in the church between supporters of various politicians when I got in. I do not understand why the shouting occurred yet I had been invited to the church by the priests. That is my home constituency,” he said.

“When the noise persisted, I was requested by one of the priests to step out to allow for normalcy to return.”

A group of worshippers is said to have followed him out of the church and demanded that he address them but Arati declined. He says the faithful then followed him some kilometers away from the church.

“It was then that I addressed them and tried to calm them. What happened on Sunday is very unfortunate. I respect the church and I strongly believe in God. At the end of it all, I have no bishop or father who is my godfather, but I have God,” Arati noted.