Lawyer Moves To Court To Stop Ruto’s Sh1.2 Billion State House Church Project
The Mt Kenya Times 
By James Kabotia
A Nairobi-based lawyer has moved to the High Court seeking to stop President William Ruto from constructing a Sh1.2 billion church within the State House compound.
In a petition filed on July 6, 2025, advocate Levi Munyeri wants the court to issue interim conservatory orders barring the President from proceeding with the project, which he claims violates several provisions of the Constitution.
Munyeri has named the Attorney General as the respondent, while the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has been listed as an interested party.
In his affidavit, Munyeri argues that the construction of the megachurch within the official residence of the Head of State is unconstitutional, noting that Kenya is a secular state.
“The construction of a church within State House violates Article 8 of the Constitution, which clearly provides that there shall be no State religion,” reads part of the petition.
He cites a Daily Nation story published on July 4, 2025, which revealed detailed architectural designs of the proposed church with a seating capacity of 8,000 people.
The publication also carried images of the structure and claimed that construction had already begun.
According to the petition, President Ruto confirmed the church project during a speech to Embu leaders on June 4, 2025, stating that he was funding the construction using his personal resources.
However, Munyeri argues that public land such as State House cannot be used for private religious purposes, regardless of the source of funding.
He contends that the President lacks the authority to undertake such a project without public participation or parliamentary approval.
“The presidency is a symbol of national unity. Having a church at State House implies preference for one religion, which discriminates against other faiths and contravenes the principle of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Constitution,” he argues.
He further expresses concern that public funds may be secretly used to finance the construction despite the President’s assertion that it is a personal initiative.
Munyeri now wants the court to urgently stop the ongoing works pending the determination of the case, saying the project raises fundamental constitutional questions and accountability issues.
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