Former Chief of Defence Forces General Samson Mwathethe has completed building a multi-million church in Kilifi County.
Mwathethe who retired from the military in May 2020 has built the church as a gift for his community in Jila Village.
Residents say the former KDF boss footed the construction bill using his own money and a bit of donations from friends.
The Christ The King Church, Jila officially opened its doors on Sunday, June 6 after being consecrated by Reverend Lawrence Dena, the first Bishop of the ACK Diocese of Malindi.
The ceremony was attended by Kilifi Governor Amos Kingi who showered praise on the project.
“Joined other faithful in witnessing the consecration of a modern building Christ The King Church in Jila, Ganze Ward, Ganze Sub County, which was a brainchild of General (Rtd) Samson Mwathethe and a team of his like-minded friends,” Kingi posted on social media.
He emphasised that the church plays a key role in nurturing an upright society by offering spiritual and socio-economic guidance.
He vowed to continue working closely with religious leaders to ensure they spearhead spiritual growth and have a more cohesive society full of love, compassion and humanity.
Mwathethe, who was born in Jila Village, Malindi, made history as the second Coastal native and navy man to ascend to the highest rank in the military after retired General Joseph Raymond Kibwana.
His appointment as CDF in 2015 was well received by coast leaders who termed him as a qualified soldier with a very humble personality.
As his retirement grew closer in 2020, he declared that he would be involved in development projects but not politics.
“When it was announced that I will be retiring people started making suggestions that I join politics but I will not go that route. I am a military officer. Military and politics do not go together,” Mwathethe said.
He is one of the military and ex-military men President Kenyatta has appointed to various capacities in government.
Mwathethe is currently the chair of KenGen, a govt parastatal that announced a Ksh13.9 Billion profit before tax which translated into 18% growth from the previous financial year during which the company announced Ksh11.6 billion profit before tax.
In his address, KenGen Board Chairman, General (Rtd.) Samson Mwathethe said the company was pleased to have delivered positive results amidst a challenging business environment.
The company, he added, would continue implementing its Corporate Strategy to ensure sustainable electricity supply in the country, while leveraging on innovation and partnerships for business growth and diversification.