President William Ruto has firmly denied allegations that he is misusing public funds to construct a multi-billion shilling church within the State House compound.
While acknowledging that the church is indeed being built, the Head of State made it clear that the project is fully funded from his own pocket.
Advertisements
“Mimi ni mtu naamini Mungu and I have no apologies to make. Hakuna mtu nitaomba msamaha kwa kujenga kanisa. Shetani akasirike, afanye ile anataka. I have no apologies to make,” Ruto stated while addressing a delegation from Embu at State House. He added, “Ni kweli kanisa inajengwa hapa State House na haitagarimu mtu yeyote hata shilingi.”
His remarks follow a recent exposé by the Nation Media Group alleging that Ruto is overseeing the quiet construction of a Sh1.2 billion, 8,000-seater cathedral-style church within State House Nairobi.
Advertisements
The report sparked public debate, with critics raising concerns over the constitutionally mandated separation between church and state.
According to the Daily Nation, the architectural design, by Skair Architects Limited, features twin crosses on the rooftop, large arched windows, and a neoclassical-modern hybrid structure with towering double pillars at the entrance.
Advertisements
President Ruto clarified that he did not initiate the project but found it ongoing when he assumed office. “Nilikuja hapa nikapata kanisa ya mabati.
Kwa maoni yenu, kanisa ya mabati inatoshana na State House kweli?” he posed rhetorically, adding that the only change he made was upgrading it from a tin structure to a befitting house of worship.
Advertisements
“I will build that church with my own money because the house of God deserves dignity,” the President declared, dismissing media reports and criticism as distractions that would not deter him from honoring his faith.
A State House official also confirmed to the Standard Media that the new chapel will replace the existing mabati structure known as the State House Interdenominational Chapel.
Advertisements
The daily Nation has been seen detailed architectural designs and drawings of the imposing structure that is expected to have a sitting capacity of 8,000 and cost an estimated sh1.2 billion.
The cathedral-like building, designed by skair Architects, has twin crosses on its rooftop and tall, narrow clerestory-style windows flanking the central edifice.
Statehouse declined to respond to multiple queries regarding the underway project that is already coming up near the presidential helipads, as seen from the latest satellite imagery.
The Daily Nation had sought to establish the rationale, constitutionality, as well as total cost to Kenyan taxpayers of the religious building.
The design of the church adopts a monumental neoclassical-modern hybrid design with massive double pillars at the main entrance and large arched windows. The tall central tower has been capped by a prominent cross, asserting the building’s religious significance and visibility from a far.
The crosses are on both sides; the front and the back, but the front one is more prominent.
Inside the church, there is four rows of the main sanctuary seating with a capacity of up to 8,000 worshippers. There are also multiple entry points, storage rooms, toilets, and circulation corridors included for crowd control. There are two prayer rooms on each side of the main auditorium and multiple auxiliary rooms including offices and washrooms.
The vertical structure design has two main levels, including the main sanctuary floor and two upper sitting galleries. The gallery is made in a circular auditorium layout in the form of amphitheater format to ensure visibility of the pulpit.
