A popular pastor from Meru and Deputy President William Ruto's ally is putting up a Ksh6 billion tower set to disrupt the Meru County skyline.
A report by the Daily Nation on Sunday, July 26, indicated that Jesus House of Praise Church founder Bishop Kiogora Magambo had embarked on the construction of the tower to be named Praise Mall.
The building is poised to be a 33-storey tower whose construction will be completed in three years.
The construction tender has been awarded to Jiangxi Jingtai Water Conservancy and Electric Power Construction Company Limited, a Chinese company.
The building will be located at Gitimbine area, about 100 metres from the iconic Kathita River, situated along Meru-Nairobi Highway.
“It is a signature building which will define Meru and the entire Mt Kenya region,” the Bishop told The Standard at the beginning of July.
Once complete, the tower will host a number of offices including malls, supermarkets, hotels, hospitals and banks.
It will also provide office spaces, modern conference facilities, serviced apartments and a church auditorium.
“It is located right at the entrance of the town so it is a really welcome feature that will enhance the face of the town. It is a good thing for visitors to be welcomed into the capital of Meru by a tall, beautiful building,” stated Municipality MCA Elias Murega.
The construction of the building is said to be in high gear after his church which had occupied the land on which the building is to be erected vacated.
It was also revealed that a perimeter wall was being put up around the property after traders were asked to leave.
Pastor Magambo is a close ally of Ruto and is said to have hosted a church service in August 2011 before the DP departed to The Hague for his case hearing.
He also visited The Hague personally in 2013 where he witnessed the proceedings and has maintained his tight relationship with the DP.
The 33-storey tower was approved in 2018 by the Water Resource Users Association (WRUA) and it will consist of three basement floors and seven Mezzanine floors.
The Church also owns Destiny TV and Destiny FM.
