Ground is Broken for Construction of New Africa Central Area Office in Nairobi, Kenya

The Africa Central Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was created from the Africa West and Africa South Areas and commenced operations on August 1, 2020.  The new Africa Central Area included 124,892 members of the church in 32 Stakes, 16 Districts, 391 wards and branches.  There were also 10 Missions in the Area.  The first Area Presidency, Area employees and Area Senior Missionaries moved into the 1330 square meter (13,000 square feet) leased office space in the Galleria Office Park in the Langata area of Nairobi, Kenya.

Four years later, church membership has grown 54% in the Area to 191,832 members, and the increase in stakes and districts, wards and branches, and missions have grown commensurately.  The growth in church membership in the Africa Central Area, and the increase in Area employees resulted in the leased office building being completely full.  In order to support current Church units and ongoing growth in members and wards and branches, the Area Presidency and the Director of Temporal Affairs purchased 2 acres of land next door to the current Area office building.  On June 28, 2024, ground was broken marking the commencement of construction of the new building. 

Africa Central Area Director of Temporal Affairs, Francis Kazeh-Anfo, described the attributes of the new building while unveiling a scale model of the new Africa Central Area headquarters building.  The three story building will be 10,500 square meters (113,000 square feet).  It will include underground parking, office space including significant space for future growth, an auditorium for weekly devotionals and training meetings that will hold 260 people, a wellness center, a room for working mothers, multiple conference rooms and a restaurant.  The building will be highly functional and beautiful.

Elder Paul B. Pieper, 2^nd Counselor in the Africa Central Area Presidency spoke at the ground breaking ceremony.  Referencing the gathering’s opening hymn, “They the Builders of the Nation,” he spoke of foundations.  The new building will have a firm foundation just like the foundation of the Church in Central Africa which was built by the sacrifice, diligence and faith of members of the Church.  He then quoted President Boyd K. Packer, then Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who spoke when the Conference Center in Salt Lake City was dedicated.  “Do you think it is possible for us…to draw attention away from this wonderful building long enough to focus on the purpose for which it was built.”  Then Elder Pieper added, “as we watch the building grow, we need to remember that we need to keep building ourselves.  We need to remember that Jesus Christ is the ultimate builder and that he builds men and women.  As the building grows we need to grow in our faith and in our strength”

1^st Counselor in the Africa Central Area Presidency, Elder Thierry K. Mutombo, was part of the first Area Presidency in August 2020 with Elder Joseph Sitati and Elder Matthew Carpenter.  He observed that “truly the Lord is hastening the work and this new building is a manifestation of that.”  He then spoke of President Russell M. Nelson’s speaking of the gathering of scattered Israel as the most important activity underway in the world.  Of the gathering, the Prophet said, “anytime that you do anything that helps anyone make and keep covenants with the Lord, you are gathering Israel.”  Elder Mutombo then said, “I think this event really aligns with what the prophet meant…because the purpose of the building that will come out of the ground advances the purpose of the Church to invite all to come unto Christ and to make and keep sacred covenants.”

The concluding speaker at the ground breaking was Africa Central Area President Ian S. Ardern.  He noted that it had been 44 years since missionaries came to Kenya and 30 years since the church’s first owned building began operation. He said, “we are embarking on the opening of an Area office from which we will continue to watch over and support the growth of the church in the 11 African nations where we are recognized and six others that will soon enough be open to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  To any of you that think the day of miracles is something from yester year, look no further than the miracle of the growth of the Church in Central Africa.  Not only has the Lord seen fit to raise up a building in Nairobi to be the headquarters of the Church in this Area, He has also raised up a people in Nairobi to administer the affairs of the Church here.  They are joined by others from around the Area.”  Subsequently, he said, “what will make this space a special place will be the people who work in it and the work that they will do.”  He concluded by saying, “the Lord, of whom I testify looks down upon our work and blesses all who are engaged in it.  This building is not our work.  This building is not our work, it is merely a means of facilitating the great work of the Father and of the Son.” 

Those who witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony included employees of the Africa Central Area, Senior Missionaries serving in the Area, the land owner from whom the Church purchased the land, the designing architect, and the contractor who will build the building.