President William Ruto has promised to continue with his plans to put up a church to accommodate all families living within the state house compound for worship.
On Sunday, September 14, the president attended a service at the state house chapel.
Many congregants followed the service from outside due to the huge numbers inside.
Speaking to the faithful, the president outlined his plan to have a mega church that will accommodate all at once.
He appreciated the presence of the chapel, its size and design notwithstanding.
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"I want to thank those running this chapel. We are happy that we have a place to worship God," Ruto said.
Ruto said that through a special grace of God, the workers will soon have a better place to worship.
The president seemed to reference his plan for a multi-billion shilling church.
"Through the grace of God, we will find elsewhere in which we can worship without others remaining outside. I am confident that God is going to make provision for us to have a place where we can worship in this compound," he said.
Hundreds of families reside within the state house precincts where their breadwinners work.
In July this year, the president kicked up a storm after he revealed he was putting up an ultra-modern church for the state house employees who work at State House.
The church was estimated to cost Ksh 1.2 billion.
Speaking at State House on July 4, the head of state defended the construction saying the monies would not be expended from the public coffers but instead from his pockets.
According to Ruto, the current chapel had been bypassed by time, saying it was time for an upgrade years after its construction.
He argued that it was not a good show for the state house to maintain its good looks whilst the workers there continued to worship inside metal structures built in the colonial era.
The move was heavily criticised by members of the opposition and the civil society who accused the president of abusing power.
They argued that the church would be a conduit for stolen public funds.
The critics wondered why the president claimed the monies were his yet the grounds on which it was going to be built belongs to the public.
A section of the civil society would later move to court to stop the construction of the church.
Transparency International Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Inuka Kenya ni Sisi, and the Institute of Social Accountability filed a petition challenging the construction, arguing it was flouting Article 8 of the Kenyan constitution which stipulates religion neutrality.
They argued that having the church up would give Christianity an edge over other religious groups.
On August 28, Justice Chacha Mwita issued conservator orders staying the construction of the church until the matter is heard and determined.
The matter will be up for mention on November 18 when further directions will be issued by the court.
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