Pope Francis Transfers Bishop in Kenya, Appoints Him Archbishop for Kisumu Archdiocese

Kisumu, 18 February, 2022 / 9:20 PM

Pope Francis has transferred a Catholic Bishop in Kenya, and appointed him Archbishop for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kisumu. 

The transfer of Bishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba who has been serving as the Local Ordinary of Nakuru Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in February 2010 to Kisumu Archdiocese was published by the Holy See Press Office on Friday, February 18.

The news of the latest administrative changes in the Kenyan Archdiocese was made public in Kenya at 2.00 p.m. Local Time by the representative of the Holy Father in Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen. 

The Archbishop-elect has been serving as the Apostolic Administrator of Kisumu Archdiocese since November 2021, following the transfer of Archbishop Philip Anyolo to Nairobi Archdiocese. 

Born in May 1968, the Archbishop-elect was ordained a Priest for the Catholic Diocese of Kakamega in October 1994. 

As a Priest, he served as an Assistant Parish Priest, Vice Rector,  and Rector of National Major Seminaries in Kenya. 

The Archbishop-elect is the current Vice Chairman of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and Principal Administrator of the Catholic Secretariat in Kenya. 

He has previously served as the Chairman of KCCB Commission for Education and Religious Education (CERE), part-time National Executive Secretary for KCCB Commission for Doctrine and chairperson of the Council of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). 

He holds a licentiate and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Santa Croce in Rome. 

Once installed, the 53-year-old Archbishop-elect is expected to serve as the Local Ordinary of the 4,616 square kilometer Archdiocese located in Western Kenya. The Archdiocese has an estimated population of 1,586,232 Catholics, according to 2020 statistics.