"WILL SMOKE BHANG AND BURN IT"- WAJACKOYAH VOWS TO TERMINATE STATEHOUSE CHURCH IF ELECTED

Roots Party leader Professor George Wajackoyah has taken a bold swipe at President William Ruto over the construction of a church within State House, promising to tear it down should he ascend to the presidency in 2027.

Speaking in a YouTube Podcast on Thursday, July 24, 2025, Wajackoyah criticized the development, calling it both unconstitutional and unlawful. He maintained that State House, as a national symbol and heritage site, must remain a secular and publicly owned institution.

“The church he is building in the State House, I will destroy. The day I’m sworn in, watu wataenda huko wavute bangi na tuudestroy hiyo kitu kabisa,” he stated, drawing a clear line between personal beliefs and public institutions.

Wajackoyah argued that no president has the unilateral mandate to convert a public monument into a place of worship without consulting the citizenry. He further warned that the religious structure undermines the constitutional safeguards that protect State House as a monument belonging to all Kenyans.

“Because the Constitution does not allow you. Where did he get the authority to build a church in a monumental place which is protected by the Constitution and owned by the people of Kenya?” he posed.

The outspoken politician added that, if elected president, he would initiate a nationwide dialogue on the future of the church structure—suggesting everything from public access to repurposing it into a prison.

“Mimi nikikuwa president hiyo kitu tunavuta bangi ndani na tuichome kwanza. It has no significance to me. I will ask the people if they want it converted into a prison,” he remarked.

The church at the center of the debate is reportedly a Ksh1.2 billion project currently under construction within the State House compound. It has drawn mixed reactions, with critics questioning the timing and priorities of such an investment amid Kenya's ongoing economic difficulties.

President William Ruto, however, has stood firmly by the project. Speaking during a public function on Friday, July 4, 2025, the Head of State said the church is an expression of his personal faith and values.

“I am one person who believes in God, and I have no apologies to make for constructing a church. Do you understand me? I am not going to be sorry to anyone for building a church. We shall build the church of God,” Ruto stated.

He went on to emphasize his spiritual convictions, brushing off the backlash as opposition from “the devil.”

“Let the devil protest the decision and do that which he pleases. I am told that the papers are saying that I am building a church here at the State House. It is indeed true; I am building a church here at the State House,” he added.

According to the president, the existing State House chapel—constructed using iron sheets—no longer befits the stature of the presidency, and a more dignified worship space is needed.

As the debate intensifies, the fate of the controversial church now sits at the intersection of religion, politics, and constitutional interpretation—a conversation likely to shape campaign narratives ahead of the 2027 general elections.