By Dan Lukorito
Kenya’s 2010 Constitution firmly established that our country shall not adopt a state religion. This was not a vague clause. It was deliberate, thoughtful, and grounded in the recognition of Kenya’s diversity—ethnic, cultural, and religious.
Yet today, that clear constitutional principle is being undermined by actions at the highest office in the land.
Let’s put things in perspective.
We have had presidents of various Christian backgrounds. Jomo Kenyatta was Catholic. He never built a church at State House. He built one in his rural home in Ichaweri, Gatundu.
Daniel Arap Moi was an active member of AIC. Even with his authoritarian powers under the old constitution, he never thought it wise to erect a church at State House. Instead, he attended different churches and acknowledged all faiths.
Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta were both Catholics. Not once did they turn State House into a religious center. They understood the difference between private belief and public duty.
Now under President William Ruto—whose denomination is unclear, but whose religiosity is visibly paraded—we are witnessing something different. A chapel is reportedly being constructed at State House.
This move is dangerous.
Let’s imagine what happens next.
If Adan Duale or Farah Maalim ever became President, what would stop them from building a mosque at State House?
If a Hindu like the former Parklands MCA took power, would a temple go up?
If David Maraga or Fred Matiang’i, both staunch SDAs, ever took office—would a full SDA church rise in the compound?
And what about other denominations—CITAM, Orthodox Church, PAG, JIAM, Neno Evangelism, Repentance and Holiness, Baha’i Faith, or even Atheist Kenya?
Where would it stop?
This is precisely why our Constitution is clear: The State must remain neutral.
A President is elected to serve all Kenyans—not just those of one faith or sect. State House belongs to the Republic, not to the President’s pastor, prophet, or denomination.
If the President wishes to worship, let him do so—like his predecessors—either in his private residence or in a public place of worship like every other citizen.
The construction of a permanent chapel within State House sends the wrong message. It is exclusionary. It is unconstitutional. And above all, it’s a misuse of public space.
We are not a theocracy.
We are a Republic.
The President must govern, not evangelize.
This goes beyond politics or faith. It’s about respecting institutions, diversity, and the Constitution.
And let’s be honest—the current frustration in the country isn’t just about this chapel. It’s a buildup of economic hardship, injustice, arrogance of power, and deaf leadership. That’s why even police stations are burning.
Kenyans are angry.
They’re not just reacting to high taxes or hunger—they’re reacting to tone-deaf leadership and the feeling that government is serving a small religious elite instead of the country.
Mr. President, your advisors have either failed to warn you—or you have refused to listen. Either way, you’re embarrassing the country.
This is not a church. It’s a government.
And Kenyans are watching.
