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Kenyan President William Ruto has come under growing public scrutiny following his announcement that he is constructing a large Christian church within the State House compound in Nairobi, a project he claims will be personally financed. The plan has ignited fierce debate over the separation of religion and state, particularly in a country grappling with economic hardship and political unrest.
Speaking at a gathering of political leaders on Friday, President Ruto defended the initiative, stating emphatically,
“I will not apologise to anyone for building a church. If the devil is angry, he can do what he wants.” Although he did not specify whom he meant by “the devil,” the comment was interpreted by many as a response to critics of the project.
According to reports from The Daily Nation, architectural plans show a vast structure featuring stained glass windows and a seating capacity for up to 8,000 worshippers. The publication questioned whether such a massive religious building is appropriate within a government facility, given Kenya’s secular constitutional framework.
President Ruto explained that the existing worship facility at State House was a makeshift structure made of iron sheets, which he deemed unworthy of the presidential premises.
“I found a church here, but it was not befitting. So we decided to build a proper one,” he said, insisting that he would cover the costs himself.
However, this raises questions about the legality and ethics of building a large private religious structure on publicly owned land.
Estimates put the church’s cost at around $9 million (approximately 1.17 billion Kenyan shillings), a figure that has sparked public outrage amid the country’s worsening economic crisis. With high inflation, youth unemployment, and recent protests over tax proposals, many Kenyans see the project as a misallocation of resources, even if the president claims no public funds will be used.
The Atheists Society of Kenya has threatened to pursue legal action to halt construction. Its president, Harrison Mumia, described the project as “unconstitutional and exclusionary,” accusing Ruto of promoting Christian nationalism in a nation that belongs to people of all faiths or none.
“This action promotes the idea that State House is a Christian space, which goes against the inclusive and secular principles of our Constitution,” said Mumia.
He emphasized that Kenya, while predominantly Christian, also has a sizable Muslim population (about 11%) and communities practicing Hinduism, African traditional religions, and other beliefs.
Critics also argue that the church’s construction risks alienating religious minorities. As it stands, there are no similar worship facilities, such as a mosque or Hindu temple, within the State House grounds.
Even some Christian leaders have voiced concern. Nairobi’s Catholic Archbishop Philip Anyolo called for clarity on the type and purpose of the structure, warning that it may inadvertently favour one Christian denomination over others.
“If it’s a chaplaincy, it should be non-denominational. Otherwise, it sends the wrong message about religious inclusivity in public institutions,” he said.
President Ruto has long cultivated a deeply religious public image. As Kenya’s first evangelical Christian head of state, he frequently references the Bible in speeches, often prays in public, and has been known to shed tears during religious ceremonies. His devotion has earned him the nickname “deputy Jesus” among both supporters and skeptics.
During his tenure as Deputy President, Ruto built a chapel at his official residence in Karen, where he regularly hosted pastors and religious leaders from across the country. However, the scale and location of the new State House project and its overt religious symbolism have amplified concerns that the president is blurring the lines between personal faith and public office.
While about 85% of Kenya’s population identifies as Christian, public institutions are constitutionally bound to remain neutral in religious matters. Opponents of the church project argue that building such a prominent religious structure within a state-owned facility undermines these secular principles.
As construction progresses, the debate is expected to intensify, with legal challenges likely to follow. For now, President Ruto remains unwavering, declaring that the church will be built, regardless of the controversy it has stirred.