Kenya’s Catholic Church has rejected a $40,000 (£32,000) donation from President William Ruto, intended for building a priest’s house, a choir gift, and a parish bus.

Catholic Archbishop of Nairobi, Most Rev Philip Anyolo, cited "ethical concerns" and the church's policy against political self-promotion. He added that such donations breach both church directives and Kenyan law. A smaller donation from Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was also returned.

"The Catholic Church strongly discourages the use of church events such as fundraisers and gatherings as platforms for political self-promotion," Archbishop Anyolo said in a statement.

The rejection comes amid growing tensions between churches and the government. Three years ago, churches banned politicians from using pulpits for donations, but many still see them as aligned with the government. Earlier this year, young protesters, using the hashtag #OccupyChurch, criticised churches for failing to oppose tax hikes that sparked deadly protests.

The backlash forced President Ruto’s government to withdraw the finance bill in July.

Last week, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops accused the government of perpetuating a "culture of lies" while raising concerns about over-taxation, corruption, and unfulfilled promises. Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit supported the Catholic Church’s stance, stating the bishops’ concerns reflect the views of many Kenyans.

Many of Kenya’s Christians are Catholic, making up about 20per cent of the population while others belong to evangelical and Anglican denominations.