Kenyan President William Ruto has defended his plans to build a large church at the presidential residence in Nairobi, saying he will pay for it himself and has nothing to apologize for. “I am not going to ask anyone for an apology for building a church,” Ruto said on Friday. “The devil might be angry and can do what he wants.” The president’s comments have sparked controversy, with many Kenyans already frustrated with his style of leadership and the entanglement of the state and the church.
According to local newspaper reports, the church is estimated to cost $9 million and will feature 8,000 seats. The project has raised questions about whether it is in keeping with Kenya’s secular constitution.
The Atheists Society of Kenya has threatened legal action to stop the church being built, calling it “shocking and unacceptable.” “We view this action as anti-democratic and a promotion of Christian nationalism by President Ruto,” said the group’s head, Harrison Mumia. “We want to remind him that Kenya does not belong to Christians only.”
Ruto, Kenya’s first evangelical Christian president, has cultivated a pious image and earned the nickname “deputy Jesus.” During his many years in public office, he has been known to quote scripture and cry in public, behavior that has long alienated some Kenyans. The president’s plans to build the church have sparked debate about the role of religion in public life and the separation of church and state.
Nairobi’s Catholic Archbishop Philip Anyolo has also expressed concerns about the project, saying clarity is urgently needed about the type of structure being built. “We have to be very cautious with this,” he said. “Such a structure ought to have been built in an area that is not a public institution. Unless what is being built is a chaplaincy, but that is also not clear.”
Ruto’s decision to build the church has been met with criticism from many Kenyans, who are struggling with the rising cost of living. The estimated $9 million cost of the church has raised questions about the priorities of the government and the use of public resources.
The controversy surrounding the church project has highlighted the complex relationship between religion and politics in Kenya, where roughly 85% of the population is Christian, but there are also significant Muslim and other minority communities.
The president’s defenders argue that the church is a personal project and that he will pay for it himself. However, the question remains whether he has the right to build such a large structure on state-owned property. The controversy surrounding the church project is likely to continue, with many Kenyans watching closely to see how the government responds to the criticism.