President William Ruto now faces a lawsuit over his plan to build a megachurch within the State House grounds, with a petitioner accusing him of grossly violating the Constitution.

In an urgent court filing, attorney Levi Munyeri argues that constructing a church on state land, especially from personal resources, is against the law. 

In his view, the move violates principles like church and state separation, public participation, transparency, the rule of law, equality, and non-discrimination.

Munyeri has asked the court to issue a conservatory order to stop forthwith construction of the church at State House, Nairobi, which is in progress or to be undertaken, pending hearing and determination of the case in its entirety.

“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,” the application reads. The lawyer further claims that President Ruto openly confirmed, during a public address on July 4, 2025, that he is indeed building the megachurch at the State House complex – an admission Munyeri says represents a blatant and unprecedented breach of the Constitution.

“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.

Lawyer Levi Munyeri argues that the megachurch construction at State House is happening without any public participation or parliamentary approval despite its significant scale and location on public land. He notes that the structure is already taking shape and can be clearly seen in satellite images near the presidential helipad within the State House complex.

In his petition, Munyeri claims the project blatantly disregards the Constitution’s strict separation between religion and state. 

He warns that allowing the construction to proceed not only undermines these constitutional safeguards but also risks fueling religious tensions in an already sensitive political climate.

“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 warns in court documents.

Munyeri also raises concerns that if the construction continues before the petition is heard, the presidency could exploit the lack of transparency to tamper with evidence, potentially rendering the court’s final ruling meaningless.

“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,” he argues, adding, “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.”