By Njeri Irungu.
Nairobi, Kenya – An open house is now underway for the newly completed Nairobi Kenya Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This significant milestone marks the first temple of the Church in Kenya and is a momentous occasion for members and the broader community.
The open house events began with a special media day on Monday, April 14, 2025. Invited guests, including community leaders and dignitaries, will tour the temple on Tuesday, April 15, and Wednesday, April 16. The public is warmly invited to tour the temple from Thursday, April 17, through Saturday, May 3, 2025, excluding Sundays. During this period, all are welcome to experience the interior and learn about the sacred purpose of temples in the Latter-day Saint faith.
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the Nairobi Kenya Temple on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in a single session broadcast live to all congregations within the temple district.
Once the temple is dedicated, it will be open only to worthy members of the Church for worship and sacred ordinances.
The construction of the temple was first announced by then-Church President Thomas S. Monson during the April 2017 general conference. Reflecting on the completion of the temple, Elder Thierry Mutombo, a leader in the Africa Central Area Presidency, expressed gratitude and reverence.
“We stand amazed to see the construction of the house of the Lord here in Nairobi, Kenya,” he said. “We are humbled to witness God’s love and tender mercies to bless the Saints and their families on both sides of the veil. The house of the Lord is built for worship and makes sacred covenants of eternal significance. I love to see the house of the Lord in this beautiful land of Kenya and the Eastern Africa region.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has experienced steady growth in Kenya since the first baptisms in 1979. From just two congregations in Nairobi and Kiboko in 1981, the Church now has over 19,200 members in approximately 70 congregations across the country. Kenya’s first stake was organized in 2001.
Until now, members in Kenya and surrounding countries—including Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan—have traveled to the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple. The Nairobi Kenya Temple will now serve these regions, providing greater access to temple blessings.
During the open house, visitors will learn more about the significance of temples to Latter-day Saints. Considered the most sacred places on earth, temples are where Church members participate in ordinances that emphasize eternal family bonds, spiritual growth, and God’s plan of salvation. The open house offers a rare opportunity for the public to explore the temple’s interior and understand its spiritual importance before it is dedicated.
