Lawyer seeks court order to stop Ruto’s Sh1.2 billion megachurch at State House

President William Ruto is facing a lawsuit over his Sh1.2 billion church project at State House, with a petitioner citing gross violations of the Constitution.

In an urgent application, lawyer Levi Munyeri argues that building a church on public land using the resources of a private citizen undermines key constitutional principles—namely the separation of church and state, public participation, transparency, the rule of law, equality and non-discrimination.

Munyeri is asking the court to issue a conservatory order to halt the ongoing or planned construction of the mega-church at State House, Nairobi, pending the full hearing and determination of the case.

"This Honourable Court be pleased to issue a conservatory order stopping any use or continued use of public funds in the construction or impending construction of a mega-church at State House, Nairobi, pending the hearing and determination of this Petition", court documents read.

The lawyer states that in a blatant and unprecedented infraction of multiple constitutional provisions, on July 4, 2025, the president admitted that indeed he is building a megachurch at the State House complex in Nairobi valued at Sh1.2 billion.

"The construction was shrouded in secrecy due to its unconstitutionality, and it could have been completed without the knowledge of the public had the Daily Nation not published the story on 4th July 2025," the petitioner says in court papers.

He argues that the megachurch is being built without any public participation or parliamentary approval, despite its scale and location on public land. The structure is already taking shape and, according to the petition, is visible in satellite images near the presidential helipad at the State House complex.

No state religion

He also argues that the construction severely undermines constitutional provisions that prohibit a state religion and upholds the fundamental principle of separating church and state.

He warns that allowing the project to continue poses a serious risk of eroding these constitutional safeguards and could fuel rising religious tensions in Kenya.

"Unless this court issues ex-parte conservatory orders sought herein, halting the said construction of the megachurch at State House - Nairobi pending the hearing and determination of this petition, public resources will be plundered and the right of the public to participate in the use of public land be negated to the detriment of the public.

He also claims that if construction continues before the petition is heard, the presidency could use the secrecy around the project to tamper with evidence and undermine the court’s final decision, making the petition pointless.

"Unless the orders sought herein are granted, the presidency will technically impose a state religion, dilute the separation of state religion and set a dangerous precedent on the use of public land by private citizens; all constitutional infractions that may be irreparable by the final orders of this court upon full hearing of this petition are likely to be irreparably harmed by construction of the church at State House."