A pastor allied to Deputy President William Ruto is putting up a multi-billion shopping mall in Meru County.

According to Sunday Nation, the Jesus House of Praise Church founder Bishop Kiogora Magambo has kicked off the construction of the Ksh 6 billion million.

The 33-storey project will be among the tallest buildings in the country, and the tallest in Meru County.

The report by the local daily revealed that the mall will be known as Praise Mall.

A Chinese contractor Jiangxi Jingtai Water Conservancy and electric Power Construction Company Limited has been contracted to put up the project within a period of three years.

It is located at Gitimbine, about 100 metres from the iconic Kathita River, along the Meru-Nairobi highway.

The bishop is an influential figure in the Mount Kenya region, especially in church circles, and has been a close friend of Deputy President William Ruto since he was the Eldoret MP.

He is the clergyman who led the final Sunday Service for Dr Ruto on August 28, 2011, before he jetted out to the Netherlands for the confirmation of hearings at The Hague.

He also visited The Hague in October 2013 as the hearings of the cases of crimes against humanity occasioned by the 2007/08 post-election violence against Dr Ruto and radio presenter Joshua Arap Sang were going on. The cases were dismissed in 2016.

Though Dr Ruto has visited Bishop Magambo’s church only once since becoming Deputy President, the clergyman is always present and either plays a role or is at least acknowledged whenever Dr Ruto tours the region.

In an interview with the Sunday nation, Rev Kiogora said he supports both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Dr Ruto and his support was guided by their manifesto, which also convinced him to visit them at The Hague.