President William Ruto shares a word with his aid, Mr Farouk Kibet, while attending a prayer service at Homa Bay AIC on October 2, 2022.
| Tonny Omondi | Nation Media GroupNews
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Inside the new life of Farouk Kibet, President Ruto’s right-hand man
What you need to know:
- Within the Kenya Kwanza circles, politicians call him ‘Sir Farouk’ and many, including senior government officials, honour his invitations to attend these fundraisers.
- Mr Kibet’s new title of patron of churches has been frowned upon and criticized by a section of Kenyans.
He is feared and revered in equal measure. Farouk Kibet, a long-time close aide and ally of President William Ruto, has unfettered access to the head of state.
Mr Kibet has increasingly followed in the president’s footsteps, presiding over numerous church fundraising events, raising questions about what he might be getting up to.
While President Ruto has curtailed his church fundraising activities since his election a year ago, his close aide has seemingly picked up his slack and taking a leading role in organising fundraisers for churches, most of which take place at his Turbo home in Uasin Gishu County.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei (left), and Farouk Kibet, during a fundraiser for 20 churches held at Tapsagoi Primary School in Turbo Constituency, Uasin Gishu County on February 25, 2024.
He holds a minimum of three such fundraisers monthly, with a minimum collection of Sh3 million each, and is also the patron of churches in the county, to become a darling of churches, earning him the title of “patron” of churches.
Within the Kenya Kwanza circles, politicians call him ‘Sir Farouk’ and many, including senior government officials, honour his invitations to attend these fundraisers.
Many dare not skip such invitations, and Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka confirmed this last weekend.
“When Farouk invited me, I knew who was inviting me. I hope you all understand what that means,” Mr Lusaka stated while attending one such fundraiser that Mr Kibet hosted for churches in Dr Ruto’s Turbo home Sub-County.
It has emerged that a majority of politicians tag along to his fundraising activities, where they contribute huge amounts as a show of loyalty to President Ruto as he is believed to be his right-hand man.
“When Mr Farouk invited me to this fundraising I had no choice but to honour it as a good friend of President Ruto and a beneficiary of the Kenya Kwanza regime,” said the Bungoma Governor, who was among guests during the fundraising at Tapsagoi AIC.
Mr Kibet’s new title of patron of churches has been frowned upon and criticized by a section of Kenyans.
Caption: Farouk Kibet (left), receives donations during a fundraiser for 20 churches held at Tapsagoi Primary School in Turbo Constituency, Uasin Gishu County on February 25, 2024.
Despite the criticism, Mr Kibet says he loves churches, and it is the reason he has embraced the culture of presiding over fundraisers for them.
His style is such that he brings together several churches together at one fundraising, after which they share the proceeds according to their input and needs.
Just this past Sunday, February 25 for instance, he presided over a fundraiser for 22 churches in Turbo Sub-County at Tapsagoi AIC, where Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha was the chief guest. More than Sh10m was raised, with Ms Nakhumicha presenting President Ruto’s donation of Sh2 million, alongside her Sh1 million.
Speaking during the event that brought together several members of parliament, governors, senators, and senior government officials, Mr Kibet said he will continue raising funds for churches as a show of gratitude for what God has done for him and the President.
He dismissed speculation that he was using the fundraisers to warm up for a political seat in Uasin Gishu County.
“I am not interested in any political seat. My work is to help churches and other needy Kenyans as a way of supporting our government to improve the livelihoods of Kenyans of low income,” said Mr Kibet.
He challenged other Kenyans to emulate him and support the needy in society.
Due to his culture of donating money to places of worship, many church leaders in Rift Valley and Western regions have described him as a generous man who is always ready to listen to their plight.
In April 2023, Mr Kibet presided over a similar fundraising in Kakamega County at Malava where more than 40 churches were represented.
On December 17, 2023, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Lwanda Parish, Malava Constituency, he played host to a momentous family service and event that raised Sh2.7 million for the church.
During the 2022 presidential campaigns, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance leaders led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga criticised Dr Ruto - then the Deputy President - for wooing churches through huge fundraisers. It saw Dr Ruto cut the frequency of fundraisers, after the long time invested in the same.
Mr Odinga had accused Dr Ruto, then a presidential aspirant, of perpetuating corruption through donations to religious outfits, terming his fundraisers a major corruption scheme and challenged clerics to reject such donations.
“People are moving around with money in sacks always approaching innocent churches to be invited for fundraisers and then come to boast in public that they are investing in heaven. Which heaven?” posed Mr Odinga.
In June 2022, Dr Ruto announced a halt to his donations, promising to resume the same after the August 2022 elections.
While speaking in Vihiga County during one of his campaigns, Dr Ruto said the decision to suspend fundraising for churches was made to comply with a requirement of sections of the Elections Act prohibiting candidates from seeking elective seats participating in fundraisers.
“I know when you see me you remember that I am a man who builds churches. Today we will not contribute to church building because the election law does not allow it. But once the exercise is over, I commit myself that we will come back and ensure the church is completed," said Dr Ruto in 2022.
