A dispute has arisen between Kenyan President William Ruto and the Most Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit over the construction of an 8000-seat chapel within the grounds of State House, Nairobi, igniting a national debate on the boundaries between faith and government in Kenya, a country whose constitution explicitly declares that “there shall be no state religion.”

Archbishop Ole Sapit, primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), supports the general principle of building places of worship; but he has voiced concerns over the location of this particular church—inside the seat of executive power. He warns that the project blurs the line between faith and government, directly clashing with Kenya’s constitutional commitment to secularism.

In an interview with The Nation the archbishop said constructing a church at State House symbolized the establishment of Christianity as a state religion, contravening Article 8 of the Kenyan Constitution, which mandates religious neutrality for the government.

He further questioned who will lead the church, given President Ruto’s frequent role in leading public prayers. He asks whether the president himself will assume a spiritual leadership role, further muddying the distinction between political and religious authority.

Archbishop Ole Sapit warned that the move could alienate religious minorities and set a dangerous precedent, as there are no equivalent facilities for Muslims, Hindus, or adherents of African traditional religions within State House grounds. 

The archbishop also observed there are already many churches near State House that could serve staff and residents, and questions the necessity and security implications of building a new, high-profile religious facility on government grounds.

“The church is a sanctuary to worship God, and it is supposed to be set apart from any unholy use, representing God’s kingdom. When you have a church in State House, which kingdom does it represent?” told the Nation.

The dispute has drawn in other religious leaders and public figures:

The Voice of Africa reported Catholic Archbishop Philip Anyoloof Nairobi has called for clarity on the chapel’s purpose, warning that it may inadvertently favor one Christian denomination over others and should, if anything, be non-denominational, while Muslim leaders have challenged the president to also build a mosque at State House if the intention is truly inclusive.

President Ruto has defended the project, stating that he is personally funding the construction and that no taxpayer money is involved. The existing worship facility at State House was a makeshift structure unworthy of the presidency, and he insisted his actions were consistent with his vision for a “God-fearing government.” President Ruto stated: “I will not apologise to anyone for building a church. If the devil is angry, he can do what he wants”.

Dennis Itumbi, a senior presidential adviser, responded to Archbishop Ole Sapit on 5 July 2025 in a statement released to the press. “By tradition, geography, and divine proximity, [the Anglican Archbishop] already is” the State House Bishop. Itumbi wrote.

He explained that during colonial rule, the British constructed State House alongside a chapel and allocated nearby land – now known as Archbishopbourne – for the Anglican Archbishop.

This proximity, he argued, positioned the Archbishop as the President’s spiritual adviser. However, critics argue that such historical references are symbolic and lack legal standing in the current constitutional order.

The heart of the dispute is whether the construction of a Christian church at State House constitutes a de facto establishment of Christianity as Kenya’s state religion. Critics—including legal experts, religious leaders, and civil society—argue that it does, or at the very least, that it dangerously erodes the secular character of the state as enshrined in Article 8 of the Constitution. The lack of similar facilities for other faiths and the president’s overtly religious rhetoric have heightened these concerns. As legal challenges loom and public debate intensifies, the dispute between President Ruto and Archbishop Ole Sapit has become a flashpoint for broader anxieties about governance, inclusivity, and the future of church-state relations in Kenya.