Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru has vowed to challenge in court President William Ruto’s decision to construct a church within the State House compound, citing a potential violation of Kenya’s constitutional principles on religious neutrality.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Njiru invoked Article 8 of the Kenyan Constitution, which expressly states, “There shall be no State religion.” He warned that the unilateral decision to build a church without equal provision for other faiths such as mosques, Hindu temples, or African traditional shrines could amount to the State endorsing a particular religion.
“If you choose to build a church, then you must equally build a mosque, a Hindu temple, and our African traditional shrines. Otherwise, we are heading to court,” Njiru declared.
He emphasized that the Constitution aims to protect the religious freedoms of all Kenyans by preventing the government from appearing to favour one religion over others. “Mr. President, there is a reason why the Constitution provided that there shall be no state religion,” he stated.
Njiru’s comments come amid a rising national debate on the role of religion in state affairs, with several political figures weighing in. Martha Karua, leader of the People’s Liberation Party, criticised the move as an abuse of public office. “Not your land, not your money to do as you please. Completely out of order,” she posted on social media.
President Ruto, however, has stood by his decision. Speaking on Friday during a meeting with Embu leaders at State House, the President affirmed that the church is being constructed from his personal resources and is an expression of his deep Christian faith.
“Mimi ni mtu naamini kwa Mungu, and I have no apologies to make. Kwa kujenga kanisa, I have no apology, na hakuna mtu nitaomba msamaha,” Ruto said.
While Ruto asserts that the initiative is personal, critics argue that erecting a religious building on State House grounds blurs the line between personal belief and public office, raising fundamental constitutional questions that may soon be tested in court.
