Lavington United Church has canceled a fundraiser that was set to take place on Sunday and included first lady Racheal Ruto as the main guest due to public outcry.
Reactions were mixed when June 30th fundraiser invitation cards, which featured Mrs. Ruto as the featured guest, appeared online late on Thursday.
“The Pastoral Team and the Church Leadership cordially invite…to a fundraising event to complete our New Sanctuary on June 30, 2024, from 10 am at Lavington United Church,” the invitation card, signed by Rev. Simon Muhati, says. Her Excellency Mrs. Rachael Ruto, EGH, the First Lady of the Republic of Kenya, will be the Chief Guest.
Many Kenyans were incensed when they saw the fundraiser invitation card online. They criticized the church for inviting Mrs. Ruto and threatened to disrupt the June 30 fundraiser.
The Reverend Mutahi received a text message from Mwabili Mwagodi, who was a hostility management consultant on X stating that the Gen Z will show up for the fundraiser if the First Lady will be in attendance.
“Good evening, Reverend Mutahi. I started the campaign to get rid of politicians from the church pulpit in Kenya. I see here that you have invited Mrs Rachel Ruto to your church for a fundraiser. This message is to notify you that we are coming for the fundraiser. God bless you.”
Good morning Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus our Savior. The Lavington United Church has cancelled the fundraiser for their new sanctuary on 30th June 2024.
May the name of our Lord be exalted. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/u5mNFiUBxV— TL Elder (@mwabilimwagodi) June 28, 2024
SokoAnalyst, an X user, also shared the invitation card, saying “Dear Lavington United Church, please do not give attention to child butchers and pretenders. If you allow this, then you will be complicit too. This nonsense of giving politicians and their spouse attention in church must stop NOW.”
The public outrage on the issue prompted the church leaders to cancel the fundraising event all together.
“The Leadership and Pastoral Team of Lavington United Church wishes to inform members that the Fundraising Event scheduled for 30th June 2024 has been cancelled,” the church announced on Friday.
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