FACT CHECK: Viral Images Claiming Demolition of Ng’ang’a’s Neno Church in Nairobi

The viral claims circulating on social media today, January 20, 2026, suggesting that Apostle James Ng’ang’a’s Neno Evangelism Centre in Nairobi’s CBD has been demolished are false.

What appears to have sparked the frenzy are AI-generated or misleading images showing heavy machinery tearing down a building resembling the church at the junction of Haile Selassie Avenue and Uhuru Highway.

A spot-check and absence of official statements from Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Nairobi County, or the National Police Service further indicate the event did not occur.

Past demolitions in the area (e.g., partial actions on nearby properties) have been documented with verifiable footage and official confirmations; none exist here yet.

Background on the Ongoing Dispute

Apostle James Ng’ang’a has faced threats on the demolition of his Neno Evangelism Centre, which sits on land he claims he acquired from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) at a cost of Ksh 42 million.

The church, situated at the busy junction of Haile Selassie Avenue and Uhuru Highway, has been a focal point of controversy involving the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for over half a decade.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) maintains that the land occupied by Neno Evangelism Centre is the property of Kenya Railways.

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As part of a broader crackdown on grabbed public land, the commission has earmarked the site for reclamation and subsequent demolition.

Despite these threats, Apostle Ng’ang’a insists he acquired the title legally and has definitely dared the government to proceed, warning that such an action would have consequences they are not prepared for.

Ng’ang’a has always defended his title, clarifying that he bought the land in 2004, long after the original deed was entered into the national registry.

Ng’ang’a’s Stand

Using his normal blunt and fiery language, he dismissed the current allegations, wondering why three previous regimes from Moi to Kenyatta had allowed him to occupy the space for years without ever questioning the legality of his acquisition.

“They say I grabbed this land. The title deed was first acquired in 1980. I bought the land in 2004. They should ask the CBK. EACC should go to the Ministry of Lands to verify things,” Ng’ang’a said earlier.

“I started preaching in Mombasa before later coming to Nairobi. In 2004, I saw a ‘land for sale’ sign from CBK. When I went to inquire about it, they told me the price was Ksh 32 million, but they told me to pay 10% and the rest within 90 days,” Ng’ang’a further said.

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Ng’ang’a maintains that a search of Nairobi City Council records confirms the land’s legitimate transition of ownership.

He asserts that the tract originally belonged to Kenya Finance Bank and was subsequently taken over by the Central Bank of Kenya upon the former’s collapse, the entity from which he says he bought the land.

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File image of a Kenya Railways train.