DP donates Sh10 million towards church headquarters

Deputy President William Ruto (right) greets Nyanchwa Sevent Day Adventist Girls Secondary school students in Kisii County on 30/3/2019. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday donated Sh13 million to the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Kisii.

Dr Ruto was the chief guest during the South Kenya Conference funds drive, where he gave Sh10 million for the construction of the Church’s headquarters and Sh3 million in support of Nyanchwa SDA Girls Secondary School.

The Deputy President later addressed the students and gave them Sh100,000 “for their bread”.

Before proceeding to Gusii Stadium for the funds drive, Ruto toured the construction site of the headquarters. He was accompanied by Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi and a host of other political leaders.

The DP arrived at the stadium as the congregation sat attentively, listening to the sermon presided over by Pastor Samuel Mwaniki from the Central Rift Conference.

South Kenya Conference President Pastor Julius Bichanga, who welcomed the DP to the function, handed him a Bible as a gift. “We are guided by strong Church doctrines that we don’t encourage politics in the church and we have to spare the Sabbath to talk to our creator,” he said.

Speaking later, Ruto said construction of the headquarters had taken too long. According to a church committee, they needed Sh30 million to complete the works. The headquarters was commissioned in 2006 and various top leaders, including presidents, have contributed towards its construction.