Dennis Itumbi Responds To Ole Sapit About State House Church Bishop
Dennis Itumbi, Digital Strategist and Head of Creative Economy in the President’s Office, has reacted to Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit of the Anglican Church of Kenya.
Sapit had inquired about who would be the bishop of the State House Church, which is currently under construction.
In a lengthy statement issued on Saturday, July 5, Itumbi expressed his amazement at Sapit’s query, providing a historical breakdown of the relationship between the State House, the Church, and the larger Christian religion.
Sapit expressed his discontent with the church’s construction on Friday, July 4, and questioned whether President William Ruto would be the next Bishop.
However, Itumbi said that Ole Sapit was meant to be the bishop of the new State House church as well as the overall National Chaplain.
It’s surprising that the Anglican Archbishop would publicly pose the question of who should serve as the State House Bishop.
— -Dennis Itumbi, CBS (@OleItumbi) July 5, 2025
For the record: when the British colonialists constructed State House, they also deliberately carved out a premium parcel of land right next to Gate A.… pic.twitter.com/ILJb0OEklW
“Your Grace, my Archbishop, Most Reverend Ole Sapit, you do not need to ask who should be the State House Bishop. By tradition, geography, and divine proximity, you already are,” Itumbi asserted.
Itumbi explained that when the British colonialists built the State House, they purposefully scooped out a prime plot of ground immediately adjacent to Gate A.
He referred to this land as Archbishopbourne.
According to Itumbi, the goal was deliberate: the Archbishop of the Anglican Church would serve as spiritual adviser to the colonial Governor and, ultimately, the President of the Republic.
He further stated that its architecture includes a fully furnished 100-seater chapel designed to host prayers and deliver advise to the Head of State.
A quick investigation confirms that Itumbi’s claims are basically accurate.
According to historical sources, during British colonial authority, the State House (formerly Government House) was built as the Governor’s mansion, while Archbishopbourne was developed nearby as the Anglican Archbishop’s Nairobi palace.
The proximity and presence of a chapel, while specific seating capacity is not well documented, was consistent with colonial practice of incorporating Anglicanism into governance, reflecting the Church of England’s prominence in the British Empire.
Itumbi also claimed that because no Anglican has ever been elected President, succeeding Archbishops have frequently hesitated to abandon denominational identification and truly embrace the job of National Chaplain.
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“The opportunity has always been present, but the church I grew up in has not always stepped into it,” Itumbi stated.
Despite the fact that some aspects of Itumbi’s perspective have historical weight, the entire assertion lacks legal or modern support, potentially subjecting it to factual inaccuracies and legal disputes.
On Friday, July 4, President William Ruto confirmed that he was constructing a church on State House grounds.
This came after the Daily Nation reported that a church was being built at State House at a rumoured cost of Ksh1.2 billion.
Dennis Itumbi Responds To Ole Sapit About State House Church Bishop
