Duale says he has asked Ruto for place to put up mosque at State House
By Mustafa Juma, July 10, 2025Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has addressed growing public criticism over the presence of a church within State House, clarifying that the place of worship is not a new development and calling for equal consideration for Muslim staff to have a dedicated prayer space.
Speaking on the night of Wednesday, July 9, 2025, during an interview with a local TV station, Duale revealed that he had personally spoken to President William Ruto about the need for a proper mosque within the State House compound, where Muslims working or visiting could perform their daily prayers comfortably and without disruption.
“There is a small room where we, the Muslims, pray at the State House. I told him that as you renovate your church, allow us Muslims, also using our own money, to renovate our small mosque. Imagine we pray five times a day, so if we stay a whole day at the State House, we will pray in the corridors and in the grass,” Duale said.
Duale on request for mosque
Duale emphasised that the request was not about competition between faiths but about dignity and religious accommodation in a national institution that serves people of all backgrounds.
“So we have agreed; we told him to look for a small space for us in the State House so that the Muslims can pray, as well as the Christians. The people who are making noise—maybe they don’t pray, or they don’t believe in God, and that is their problem,” he said.
Duale defends State House church
He also defended the presence of the State House church, saying it has existed through multiple administrations, including those of Presidents Moi, Kibaki, and Uhuru Kenyatta.
“The president found that church there. During Mzee Moi’s time, it was there, during Kibaki’s time it was there, and during Uhuru’s time it was there. He has always been renovating. It is an old mabati,” he said.
Duale added that Islam requires observant Muslims to break from their daily routine to answer the call to prayer, and having a proper prayer facility on-site is essential.
“Today, I have told him I want a place to build a mosque. In Islam, there is time for you and time for God, so when you hear a call to prayer, you stop everything. You can refuse your church by going to court, but today I have told the president to give us space; the financiers are around. Give us a corner, in fact ours; we want it to be near a wall so that other Muslims can come in and pray,” Duale emphasised.