Nairobi Kenya Temple Wiki

During his opening remarks at the Sunday Morning Session of the 187th Annual General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson announced that a new temple would be constructed in the city of Nairobi, Kenya. It will be the eighth temple constructed on the continent of Africa. There are three operating African temples including the Aba Nigeria, Accra Ghana, and Johannesburg South Africa. Two temples are under construction including the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo and Durban South Africa. And two other temples, in addition to Nairobi, have been announced: the Abidjan Ivory Coast and the Harare Zimbabwe.^[2]”President Monson Announces Five New Temples,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 2 Apr. 2017.

There are two stakes and six districts operating in the nation of Kenya with three stakes in neighboring Uganda. Many other Saints living in the outlying regions of East Africa, who currently must travel to the distant Johannesburg South Africa, will be immensely blessed by the Nairobi Kenya.

On 14 July 2021, an official exterior rendering of the Nairobi Kenya Temple was released.

An 11 September 2021 groundbreaking ceremony was held for the first temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be constructed not only in Kenya, but in all of East Africa. Elder Joseph W. Sitati, president of the Africa Central Area and native of Kenya, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Nairobi Kenya Temple.

Some 100 Church leaders and members, guests and journalists gathered for Saturday’s event in Mountain View, a neighborhood of Nairobi. Attendance was by invitation only because of COVID-19 gathering restrictions. However, the groundbreaking was live streamed for Latter-day Saints and friends in meetinghouses and homes across Kenya and several neighboring nations. Speakers at the event included representation from the young adults, youth and children.

Elder Sitati said the day was dedicated to the rising generation of the Church. He invited members “to look at the temple that will come up in this site as their temple. This is the place [members] will get married; this is the place where they will make covenants that will bless them for all eternity.”^[4]Taylor, Scott. “‘Hope’ and ‘Rising Generation’ Underscore Groundbreaking for First Temple in Kenya and East Africa.” Church News, 11 Jan. 2024, www.thechurchnews.com/2021/9/11/23216596/kenya-nairobi-temple-groundbreaking-hope-rising-generation.

Elder Paul B. Pieper, a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Africa Central Area at the time of dedication, said that for many years, rumors had circulated about the teachings and worship of the Church. The building of the temple and open house provided opportunities for members to answer questions and inform others, changing significant misconceptions and correcting false information about the Church.

“I think we have all been surprised to see how many friends who attended the temple felt the Spirit and asked to know more about the Church,” he said. “It has given members a new energy to invite friends and family to learn about the Church. One of those we invited is being taught by the missionaries and is loving what she is learning.”

The open house attracted more than 9,700 visitors, with over 60% being youth or young parents. Many commented on the calm, peaceful feeling they felt in the temple’s celestial room then asked how they might learn more about the Church.

One man, without knowing about the Church’s Word of Wisdom, said after being in the celestial room that he knew he needed to stop drinking. Children were especially reverent during the tours and didn‘t want to leave. One little boy’s countenance changed as he entered the temple and saw a portrait of the Savior. He whispered, “Jesus” and folded his arms.

The Nairobi Kenya Temple was dedicated 18 May 2025, by Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with the single dedicatory session broadcast to all units throughout the temple district.

The Nairobi temple was the first house of the Lord built in Kenya and the second in East Africa, following the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple, dedicated in 2019.

“These members in Africa, generally speaking, they embrace the gospel in such a way that they make it the center of their lives,” said Elder Soares. “Having a temple in Nairobi is a moment of celebration of that covenant confidence they have in the gospel with the Lord and a celebration of their faith.”

Elder Soares continued: “The decision to extend temples closer to the people is a sign that God and His Beloved Son want to extend Their blessings to all people. Seeing temple ordinances and covenants extended to every person who is worthy is a marvelous blessing.”

Elder Soares was accompanied at the dedicatory services by his wife, Sister Rosana Soares. They were joined by Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Nancy Duncan; and Elder Thierry K. Mutombo, a General Authority Seventy and Africa Central Area president, and his wife, Sister Nathalie Tshayi Mutombo.

The dedicatory session was conducted in English, with translations offered in Swahili, French and Amharic, languages spoken in the temple district. At the time of dedication, the Nairobi temple served members in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.

President Fredrick B. Shamola of the Nairobi Kenya South Stake first attended the temple after his mission in 2003 when he boarded a five-hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, then the only house of the Lord on the African continent. Having a temple in Nairobi means some East African Saints can attend the temple and return home “the same day,” he said. Members also have the opportunity to serve as ordinance workers, a dream come true for many. “This is something I never thought would happen in my lifetime. I am grateful for the temple in Nairobi. This is very dear to me.”

A 13.3-acre parcel located at the intersection of N 800 West and W 100 North has been chosen as the location for the temple.

Site

Surrounding the temple is a fence made from concrete block, with a painted plaster finish.

Floral motifs are a theme in this temple, as Nairobi is one of the largest exporters of flowers on the African continent. The agapanthus, or African lily, with its vibrant blue-lavender hue, is a key motif in the art glass and interior decorative painting. The interior furniture often reflects British colonial design, while traditional motifs are used in the textiles.

The temple’s flooring features Milliken carpet, nylon rugs, and porcelain Cerim Marfil stone with Quartzite Blue and Verde Imperiale accents. Stone skirtings are made of Portuguese Moleanos limestone.

The interior walls use neutral tones, as inspired by the Kenyan savanna. No wall coverings were used inside the temple.

The lighting throughout the interior includes fixtures made of brass and crystal.

Doors are solid sapele mahogany sourced domestically. Sapele mahogany is considered a sustainable indigenous timber with a consistent grain and color range suitable for a temple. Throughout the temple, hardware for the doors has been selected to complement the design motifs in the floral art glass and features bronze and brass finishes.

The ceilings are made of flush plasterboard (Gyproc) and suspended grid tiles (OWA lay-in ceiling tiles).

The temple’s millwork is made of sapele mahogany timber. Extensive patterning is present in the altars, pews, recommend desk and instruction room proscenium that complement the art glass, floral arrangements and geometric motifs.

Original artwork used in the interior includes “The Masai Water Tower Kenya” by Paul Augustinus, “Oloololo Escarpment in the Rift Valley Kenya” by Paul Augustinus and “Nairobi Landscape” by Oscar Campos.

Entry

The baptistry in sin the fround south corner of the building, left of the entrance.

The initiatory spaces of this temple are next to, but not attached to, the changing rooms of the temple.

There are two instruction rooms int he temple, one each to either side of the rear central celestial room.

The Celestial Room on the temple is on the rear center of the temple.

Unlike the rest of the temple, the celestial room uses door hardware with a French gold finish, giviing it a unique and elevated look.

There a re two sealing rooms int hte temple, each in the back corners of the temple.

The Nairobi Kenya Temple is a cast-in-place concrete structural frame, with concrete block partitions and stone veneer. T

The exterior designs feature the African lily (agapanthus) along with circles and repeated patterns with native influences.

Cladding

Portuguese Moleanos limestone covers the temple exterior.

Windows

The art glass design is a stylized floral pattern, primarily of blues and greens consistent with the African lily (Agapanthus) flower.