Appointment of bishop of Kitui, Kenya

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Kitui, Kenya, the Reverend Joseph Mwongela, of the clergy of Kitui, currently vicar general of the same diocese.

Reverend Joseph Mwongela

The Reverend Joseph Mwongela was born on 7 April 1968 in Kakumi, diocese of Kitui. He attended the preparatory year at Saint Mary’s Senior Seminary in the diocese of Nakuru (1989). He carried out his studies in philosophy at Saint Augustine’s Senior Seminary of Mabanga, in the diocese of Bungoma (1990-1991) and in theology at Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi (1992-1995). He was ordained a priest on 7 September 1996 for the diocese of Kitui.

He subsequently held the following roles: parish vicar of the Migwani parish (1996-1997); parish priest of the Nguni parish (1997-1998); formatter at the Saint Patrick Formation House (1999-2001); diocesan chancellor and, at the same time, director of the diocesan office for vocational pastoral care (2003-2008). From 2003 to 2008 he studied in Rome where he was awarded a licentiate from the Pontifical Gregorian University (2003-2006) and a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Angelicum (2005-2008). He went on to serve as chaplain of the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Kitui (2008); parish priest of the Muthale parish (2008-2013); director of the Saint John Paul II Institute of Professional Studies and parish priest of the Boma parish (Our Lady of Africa Cathedral); and vicar general of the diocese of Kitui (since 2015).