Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament George Peter Kaluma has backed President William Ruto’s controversial plan to build a church within the grounds of State House, Nairobi.
In a strongly worded statement on X on Sunday, July 5, 2025, Kaluma urged the president to ignore critics and go ahead with the construction, even drawing a biblical reference to King Solomon.
“Don’t be King Solomon who prioritised the palace before the House of God,” Kaluma wrote. “Build the church!”
Kaluma noted that the very first line of Kenya’s Constitution recognises the supremacy of God and reminded Kenyans that the National Anthem is itself a prayer. He argued that religious values are deeply rooted in the country’s identity and should not be dismissed.
Responding to criticism over the chapel’s construction at State House, the MP also explained that the integration of religious spaces with state institutions has deep historical roots. He pointed to the British system, where the monarch, parliament, courts, and the church once all sat within Westminster. Kaluma argued that this colonial model was brought to Kenya and still influences the layout of government and religious institutions.
“That’s why the Anglican Archbishop’s residence is next to State House,” he explained, poking fun at current Anglican Church leaders questioning who should lead the State House chapel.
Debate over state chapel
Kaluma’s comments come amid national debate over the project, which President Ruto says is meant to replace a small, iron-sheet chapel that already existed on the State House grounds. Ruto recently said the structure is being upgraded to a stone building that can seat up to 300 people, primarily for families and children living within the compound.
The president also dismissed reports that the chapel would cost over Ksh1.2 billion, saying such claims were propaganda.
“Let us stop spreading cheap talk and hatred. Why are some people so bitter about a church built for the worship of God?” Ruto asked during a service in Embu on July 7, 2025.
Kaluma appeared to echo this view, criticising what he called a growing voice of atheism in Kenya, even among people who “wear the collar.” He vowed to support the project in any way he could.
“I will gladly contribute a few cents to this divine call, build the church!” Kaluma declared.
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a digital writer with over five years of experience. He graduated in February 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from The Co-operative University of Kenya. He has written news and feature stories for platforms such as Construction Review Online, Sports Brief, Briefly News, and Criptonizando. In 2023, he completed a course in Digital Investigation Techniques with AFP. He joined K24 Digital in May 2025. For inquiries, he can be reached at [email protected].
