'Okoa Mille': The Sh1.1 billion spiritual campaign tearing apart PCEA

"The Okoa Mille campaign is a spiritual war,” said Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Secretary General Rev Robert Waihenya in a raging debate about a fund drive to save the hotel from auctioneers.

The top hierarchy of the PCEA is split over the campaign to raise funds to save the multi-million-shilling tourist hotel in Mombasa whose cost of construction is under scrutiny from church members, demanding a forensic audit before more money is raised.

At the centre of the controversy is a decision by the church's business committee to seek financial support from President William Ruto to offset a Sh1.1 billion loan at the National Bank of Kenya (NBK).

A faction led by Rt Rev Thegu Mutahi is opposed to Ruto’s financial aid, saying the church is a respectable, independent and non-partisan entity that must jealously guard its independence.

“For avoidance of doubt, PCEA is not organising, sponsoring or endorsing any delegation to visit any politician to seek financial favours or political patronage, whether in State House, Wamunyoro, Tseikuru or Sisi ndio Sifuna. Our faith and doctrine cannot be compromised,” said Mutai.

In a letter dated August 28, 2026, to all PCEA clerks and copied to the church secretary general, deputy secretary general and honorary treasurer, Mutai said the church believes in political hygiene.

But Rev Waihenya said the visit to State House was a follow-up to Ruto’s promise during the church General Assembly (GA). He said the president had agreed to meet them on October 2.

He said the meeting was an administrative visit open to any willing person and not a political rally or visit to discuss political matters as stated by some church members.

"This is an administrative visit being the position of the business committee under minutes so that we can resolve this Milele problem once and for all and end the shame and politics,” stated Waihenya.

The “shame and politics” alluded to by Waihenya traces back to 2007 when PCEA bought Giriama Beach Hotel, about eight kilometres from Mombasa CBD, and renamed it Milele Beach Hotel.

In 2010, the church’s investment arm, Presbyterian Foundation, used the property as security to obtain a Sh650 million loan from Equity Bank of Kenya (EBK) to build apartments near the hotel.

“The idea was to build luxury apartments to attract more business and revenue. The 85 apartments were to cost Sh25 million each and were to be sold to service the Sh650m loan,” explains Waihenye.

He said that terror-related insecurity in Mombasa forced 20 potential buyers to pull out, leading to the accumulation of loan interest. “Every month we used to pay Sh13 million. But due to insecurity, the hotel was operating just 10 out of 80 rooms, and we were unable to continue to pay,” he said.

Due to repayment arrears, PCEA transferred the debt to the National Bank of Kenya (NBK). Later PCEA secured an additional Sh811 million from NBK for the construction of an apartment next to the hotel.

The project just opposite the Mtamboni-Bamburi stage stalled, forcing NBK to place the hotel under receivership in 2024. This has forced the church to launch the fund drive to clear the loan.

Denis Itumbi, the head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Coordination, said through Ruto’s intervention the loan has been reduced from Sh1.07 billion to Sh753 million.

“Importantly, it was the PCEA that requested the meeting with the president... In its letter to the president dated July 21, 2026, PCEA expressed appreciation for the president's intervention, which helped stop the disposal of the hotel and opened the way for negotiation,” stated Itumbi in his verified social media account.

He said that so far 350 of the expected 500 clergy participants have confirmed attendance at the State House meeting scheduled for September 2.

Yesterday, social media was awash with PCEA clerics asking for help and criticising those against the "Operation Okoa Milele Beach Hotel". The church has shared a playbill number for financial aid.

PCEA Secretary General Dr Waihenya said yesterday that the financial challenges at Milele Beach were a “spiritual problem infesting itself as a physical problem".

"The pay bill is for those who are willing. We must be disciplined PCEA members. The government owes the church a lot of money, but we should also contribute to save Milele," he said.

“Milele Hotel needs us. We will pray for the hotel and raise funds for it. When you give to Milele Hotel, you give to God. We give cheerfully and willingly,” said Rev Lydia Kahiga of PCEA Nyari Parish.

She said that although she is not a member of the church’s business committee, she was obligated to honour the church, but “when they make a decision, I follow it even if I have reservations.”

“One of the vows we make is we will follow the way of governance of the PCEA church. I do not follow because I like it; sometimes I feel like I should question some things, but I follow it because I vowed,” she said.

The development of the PCEA investment in Mombasa has sparked an online debate on social media church governance, legacy debts, and reported political interventions.

Dr Weihenya said that some forces were out to spoil their names for political and financial reasons, adding that the said debt was accrued years before the current leadership came to office.

"It is only five people who are against our efforts to save Milele. Let us save Milele, and later we will discuss how it will be managed because I think it should be left to professionals," said Waihenya.