To attract parishioners and clergy in African countries, the Russian Orthodox Church is giving priests a motorcycle and a cow each.

This is stated in reports published on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church’s African Exarchate.

In particular, it is reported that on August 20, 2026, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan of Cairo and North Africa Konstantin, during a visit to the Nandi deanery in Kenya, blessed motorcycles that had been sent to the deanery’s clergy with the support of donors from Russia. In addition, priests, as in other deaneries in Kenya, were given cows.

It is also reported that at the parish of St. Zosima, Metropolitan Konstantin blessed a water pump providing clean water. Drilling and construction work on the well was carried out with the assistance of the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage.

Earlier, Bishop Chrysostom of Bukoba and Western Tanzania of the Patriarchate of Alexandria called on the Russian Orthodox Church to “get out of Africa”. He believes that money will not help the Russians establish themselves on the continent.

As LF reported, the Russian Orthodox Church has identified the reason for and purpose of expanding its influence in African countries. It believes that “Africans are spiritually thirsty and see the Russian Orthodox Church as a large, strong church that they find interesting.” The statement was made by Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan of Cairo and North Africa Konstantin.

It was previously reported that the Russian Orthodox Church had officially established its presence in Cameroon through the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa.

Recently, the Russian Orthodox Church received official registration in the Republic of Madagascar.

As LF reported, the Kremlin uses the Russian Orthodox Church as an instrument of influence in Africa and, with its assistance, recruits local residents to participate in the war against Ukraine.

We previously reported that the African Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church lures Kenyans into the war in Ukraine. Young Kenyan citizens are offered the opportunity to travel to Russia for work or study, with the church undertaking to sponsor the trip.

It is known that the Russian Orthodox Church considers Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda key countries for developing its mission in Africa. Metropolitan of Cairo and North Africa Konstantin (Ostrovskii) made the statement.

We previously reported on how Russia is “reformatting” Africa and the Global South.