Senator Veronica hails Judiciary for upholding legitimacy of National Prayer Breakfast
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, May 27, 2026Nominated Senator Veronica Maina has hailed the judiciary for upholding the constitutionality of the National Prayer Breakfast, following a court ruling that dismissed a petition seeking to stop the annual event.
While speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast Women’s Convocation held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Veronica said that the national prayer breakfast was not a political gathering and that the push to contest the event in court had been futile.
“This morning, when we gather together not for a political event, not for a social gathering, we gather together for a convocation, a prayer gathering to repent and seek forgiveness and reconciliation in our nation,” Veronica said.
The nominated senator noted that the leaders learned of the legal petition filed by someone who was opposed to the National Prayer Breakfast and who wanted to stop the national annual occasion from taking place by going to court.
The court, however, according to the senator, ruled that the National Prayer Breakfast is not unconstitutional and could go forward as a national convocation for prayer and reflection, with the national leaders gathering together.
Maina said that by ruling that it was legal, the event had secured legal backing even in the face of opposition, meaning there was no legal hurdle for the event to proceed.
“Little did we know that one who was not very happy about the National Prayer Breakfast had gone to court to stop it, but who is our God?” she added.
Veronica further said the judiciary’s decision had come at a time when she felt God was orchestrating in order to ensure continuity of the event, adding that it had coincided with prayers nationwide.
“We thank God because, as we prayed against every obstacle, God was already orchestrating a good ruling from the courts to ensure that the National Prayer Breakfast is never challenged by such legal challenges. So we are here now, and we know that the courts have now decided that the national prayer breakfast is constitutional,” she concluded.
This year’s Women’s Convocation has been held to set the stage for the main gathering, which will comprise members of the National Assembly and Senate on Thursday, May 27, 2026, at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, which has in the past brought together leaders from various arms of government.
High Court ruling on National Prayer Breakfast
The High Court has rejected arguments that the annual National Prayer Breakfast at the Safari Park Hotel is unconstitutional and discriminatory in that it is reasonably accessible to people and broadcast to the public.
The court further held that the petitioner failed to properly plead and prove that the event violated Article 8 of the Constitution on the separation of religion and the state.
The judge said that parties had made a wide argument on whether the National Prayer Breakfast becomes the establishment of a state religion, but the point had not been raised in the petition.
“Submissions are not pleadings,” the court said, adding that it could only determine issues that had been formally placed before it.
The court observed that the petitioner had the opportunity to amend the petition to include claims under Article 8 but failed to do so before ruling.
“As serious questions on the constitutionality of the National Prayer Breakfast were raised in the submissions, the same must be the subject of a separate inquiry and not this petition,” the judge ruled.
On claims that holding the event at Safari Park Hotel was discriminatory and violated Article 27 of the Constitution, the court found no evidence of unfair discrimination.
The respondents told the court that the venue had been identified through a procurement process compliant with Article 227 of the Constitution and that the event was accessible to the public through live broadcasts.
However, the court directed the houses to disclose the budget for hosting the annual prayer breakfast.