A German missionary who was instrumental in the spread of Christianity in Kenya is to be honoured with the creation of a new chapel and monument. The announcement was made by Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit during a service to mark the half-centenary of the Anglican Church of Kenya as an independent Province of the Anglican Communion. The Service, at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi on 1 November, was attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The German missionary, John Ludwig Krapf, worked with the Church Missionary Society (CMS) to take the Gospel across East Africa from 1844. He landed at Rabai, north of Mombasa, and established a mission station. By 1848 this became Kenya’s first Christian church. Shortly afterwards a school, a clinic and space for freed slaves was created in the Church compound.

The Anglican Church of Kenya is now seeking authorisation for a new chapel and monument to mark the work of Krapf in bringing Christianity to Kenya.

“We want to erect a monument to remind us of the first journey of Ludwig Krapf where he met fishermen who introduced him to the village elders who led him to establish the church,” Archbishop Jackson said, according to a report in Capital News.

“We will be more than willing to team up with the ministry and join our resources to erect the monument which will remind us of our history because it is important to keep important histories of our beginning.”