President William Ruto has broken his silence after facing intense public backlash following reports that his administration is planning to construct an 8,000-seater church within the State House compound.
A report by the Daily Nation on Friday, July 4, revealed that the planned structure, estimated to cost about Ksh1.2 billion, will feature large stained-glass windows and prominent crosses, with the design indicating a full-scale religious facility.
Ruto, while speaking during a meeting with grassroots leaders from Embu County later during the day, defended the construction, saying that he is building a permanent chapel at State House at no cost to the government.
“I have no apologies to make for building churches. I’m being told that in today’s papers, they are saying that I’m building a church inside the State House. That’s true, I’m building one here in the State House,” he said.
Ruto confirms construction of State House church
While maintaining that he is using his own money, the Head of State denied founding a church, arguing that he had found a temporary one in place.
“I did not start the church at State House; I found it already there. The only problem is that it was built using iron sheets. So, I have decided to build a church that matches the State House,” Ruto added.
“And it will not cost the Government of Kenya even a single penny. I will build it using my own money because the house of God should reflect dignity and honour.”
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During the meeting, Ruto maintained that his administration will work with all leaders to transform Kenya.
The President said that the government is particularly keen on ensuring that the health system works so as to lessen financial burden on everyone.
“With Embu County grassroots leaders at State House, Nairobi. We agreed to build three more markets in the County, bringing the total number to 12. We will also invest Ksh1 billion in the region to connect more than 12,000 households to electricity,” he said.
While it remained unclear whether the entire cost of the church construction will be footed by taxpayers, the revelation had sparked widespread criticism from Kenyans and political leaders who have since questioned the government’s priorities.
The development has ignited heated debate among Kenyans with many expressing concerns over the need for such a costly project amid a biting economic crisis, rising unemployment, and underfunded public services.
Atheists Kenya vows to take legal action
The Atheists Kenya Community had also announced plans to sue President Ruto over the construction.
Also Read: Ruto Sued Over Plans to Construct Ksh1.2 Billion Church at State House
In a statement issued on July 4, 2025, the Atheist community stated that the construction of a church at the State House fundamentally threatens the principle of separation of church and state and violates Article 8 of the Kenyan Constitution.
Additionally, they condemned the plan, describing it as both shocking and unacceptable.
“We have directed our lawyers to immediately initiate legal action to halt this egregious misuse of taxpayer funds,” the statement read.
The group views the move as anti-democratic and an attempt to promote Christian nationalism, warning that Kenya does not belong to Christians alone.
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