Thou shalt not build more than three floors, worsen floods and traffic in Runda. That is the stance of a section of Runda residents who want self-styled prophet David Owuor’s church blocked from building a nine-storey church along Kwaheri Road in the leafy, upmarket suburb.
Based on the Repentance and Holiness Ministry’s architectural drawings, the Runda residents have written to Kiambu’s County Executive Committee member for Lands, Salome Wainaina, objecting to the proposed church construction project.
Dr Owuor’s church has acquired a three-acre plot of land in Runda from the owners of a coffee plantation and intends to put up a church in the area.
That plan triggered pushback from residents who cite flooding risks, traffic congestion, security risks, noise pollution and zoning incompatibility as reasons why the facility should not be built.
During a consultative meeting between the county government, Dr Owuor’s ministry and affected residents on August 26, and a public participation meeting on October 22, Dr Owuor’s ministry shared architectural drawings and other related documents with the stakeholders.
Repentance and Holiness Church leader Prophet David Owuor leads New Year Cross over prayers at Menengai Ground in Nakuru for on December 31, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
The October 22 public participation followed a directive by Kiambu CEC for Lands, Ms Wainaina.
Ms Wainaina has now suspended any development of the three-acre land until Repentance and Holiness Ministry reaches a consent with the Runda residents.
On Thursday, 13 institutions representing over 100 Kwaheri Road residents filed a formal objection to the church project, arguing that architectural drawings they have seen do not address several issues that will disturb their peace and welfare.
Runda Residents Community, Kwaheri Road Community, Makini School Community, Sabis School Community, Runda Development Ltd, Ineza Estate, Runda Palms, Makini School Runda, Citam Kiambu Road, Runda White Sands, Runda Muringa, Runda Mae and Runda Water Front have filed a joint objection against Dr Owuor’s church project.
In March, the Repentance and Holiness Ministry filed a change of use application for the three-acre land with Ms Wainaina’s office, seeking to have the land’s purpose shifted from agricultural to a religious institution – church, offices and residential guest suites.
On March 25, a week after the application was filed, a Kiambu County technical committee directed Dr Owuor’s ministry to conduct public participation and give a detailed response on the intended use of the residential guest suites.
A group of Kwaheri Road stakeholders, who include households, international schools, a church and a hotel, now argue that flooding during the rainy season, which has been a problem in the past, could worsen if the church construction is allowed as planned.
The residents hold that the proposed nine-storey church would interfere with the privacy of neighbours whose buildings are mostly three floors or less, while also blocking natural light for adjacent homes.
The height of the proposed church, they further held, would ruin the outlook, character and residential amenity of the area.
Urban Lines Consultants Ltd, which Dr Owuor’s ministry hired for the project, wrote to the county government on July 31 in response to the initial objections raised between April and June.
In the letter, the consultants argued that the project site lies within an area designated by the county government as a mixed-use development area.
Urban Lines, representing Repentance and Holiness Ministry, further argued that the area already has medium-density residential developments – several homes and buildings built close to each other but not as packed as high-rise apartment blocks.
“According to the approved Kiambu Sub-County Integrated Strategic Development Plan (2020-2030) attached hereto, the proposed project site is located within zone 1F, which is designated for mixed-use development,” the consultant said in its letter to the county government, which the Nation has seen.
The consultant maintained in the letter that the proposed project is within the law and should be allowed to continue.
The Runda residents in their objection also hold that, based on the architectural drawings, the proposed building can cause rainwater to flow off the site and cause flooding which would affect neighbouring buildings.
“The objectors state that flooding has occurred in the vicinity in recent years and are concerned that unmanaged runoff could affect neighbouring properties, including Runda Gardens Gated Community, Makini School Runda, Sabis School, among others,” the residents argue in their letter of objection.
Prophet Owuor of Ministry of Repentance and Holiness at a past crusade.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Dr Owuor’s ministry, they add, has not provided acceptable stormwater drainage plans.
Additionally, they argue that the land which Repentance and Holiness Ministry intends to use for the church is not connected to any public sewer line, and that no viable plan has been provided to treat wastewater from the expected congregation.
“The county government should require a wastewater and sanitation report identifying projected wastewater flows, treatment technology and capacity, effluent quality, disposal/reuse arrangements, sludge management, maintenance responsibilities, groundwater protection and all necessary approvals or permits,” the residents say in their objection.
The architectural plans show that Kwaheri Road is approximately nine metres wide, which the objectors argue is not sufficient to accommodate existing residents and the masses expected to congregate in the proposed church.
The residents also fear that the church and its congregants will cause noise pollution, especially on account of nighttime activities popularly known as “kesha”, which could disturb school-going children and the elderly.
Dr Owuor’s church argues that there are already other religious institutions in the area such as CITAM Kiambu Road, St Joseph Catholic Church, Runda Friends Church and Eagle Faith Christian Centre.
The residents further say that exceptions granted to non-residential institutions like Sabis School, Makini School and Brookhouse School do not mean that Dr Owuor’s church should also be entitled to go against the area’s zoning and aesthetic structure.
