Bishop Edward Mwai of Jesus Winner Ministry in Roysambu, Nairobi, has declared that he has forgiven the youth who insulted him for accepting a Sh20 million donation from President William Ruto.
Mwai said he has also asked the police to release scores of youths who had been arrested after visiting his church with the intention of 'occupying' it.
“All those who have insulted me and called me names, I have forgiven each and every one of them. I have also asked God to forgive them,” he said.
Addressing faithful during Sunday church service, Mwai said politicians were using the youth who had planned to hold demonstrations against his church for their selfish gains.
“Our children are being used badly, God forgive them. There are those who were here, and they are just goons, some of them even had Jesus Winner Ministry badges,” he said.
Earlier, members of the clergy from Nyeri had urged the youth to call off their plans to occupy Jesus Winner Ministry headquarters in Roysambu.
The religious leaders defended Bishop Mwai for accepting the donation from Ruto on March 2.
“We have no means of determining whether money donated to church is clean or dirty,” Reverend Veronica Waruguru of Jesus Winner Ministry, Nyeri, explained.
She added that the church also has no means of verifying the source of cash donations.
Reverend Benson Mwangi urged other church leaders to accept donations given to them.
“Bishop Mwai was right in accepting the money because he is
doing what he is supposed to do; that is taking care of orphans, widows and
unprivileged members of the society,” Mwangi added.
Reverend Martin Mwangi criticised people who have been attacking Mwai for accepting the donation.
“My appeal to Gen Zs is: do not go there to demonstrate. Just go there to pray and worship,” he urged.
Mwai had earlier revealed that he and his wife have been receiving harsh messages, which have even forced him to buy new mobile lines.
"I have received more than 5,000 abusive messages and cannot make calls.”
On March 6, President Ruto hosted Mwai at State House, just days after making the donation.
The President had on Sunday also pledged to mobilise his friends to raise another Sh100 million for the construction of the church, estimated at Sh1 billion.
In a post on X, President Ruto stated that he met with the bishop to discuss the progress of the ongoing construction of the church in Nairobi’s Roysambu area.
