Pope Francis Appoints Two Auxiliary Bishops for Tanzania’s Dar-es-Salaam Archdiocese

Dar es Salaam, 07 July, 2021 / 8:30 PM

Pope Francis has, on Wednesday, July 7, appointed two Auxiliary Bishops for Tanzania’s Dar-es-Salaam Archdiocese. 

The appointment of Msgr. Henry Mchamungu alongside Msgr. Stephano Musomba was published by the Holy See Press Office and made public in the East African nation by the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC).

Born in Tanzania’s Moshi Diocese in January 1965, Msgr. Mchamungu was ordained a Priest for the Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam in June 1994. 

He holds a Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law from the Kenya-based Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and the Katholische Privat-Universität Linz in Austria respectively. 

In his 27 years of Priestly ministry, Bishop-elect Mchamungu has served in various positions including Secretary General of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam and Vocations Director.

From 2011 until his July 7 episcopal appointment, Msgr. Mchamungu has been serving as the Secretary of the Legal Commission of TEC, President of the Inter-diocesan Tribunal and a Fomator at St. Charles Lwanga Major Seminary in Segerea.

Bishop-elect Mchamungu has been assigned the titular see of Tanaramusa.

The Holy Father has also appointed Msgr. Musomba as Auxiliary Bishop of Dar-es-Salaam Archdiocese.

Until his appointment, the 51-year-old member of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) has been serving as the Parish Priest of the Immaculate Conception Mavurunza Parish of the Tanzanian Ecclesiastical See.

Msgr. Musomba who has been assigned the titular see of Perdices was ordained a Priest in July 2003. 

He has since served as Parish Priest, Formator and Secretary of the Tanzanian delegation of the Augustinians. 

The Tanzanian-born Bishop-elect holds a licentiate in patrology from the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome.

Once ordained, the Bishops-elect will assist Archbishop Jude Thaddeaus Ruwa’ichi in shepherding the people of God in the 40,000 square kilometer Ecclesiastical See with a population of 1,788,542 Catholics, according to Catholic hierarchy.

The Tanzanian Archdiocese that was established in March 1963 has been without an Auxiliary Bishop since May 2020 when Bishop Eusebius Alfred Nzigilwa was transferred to the Diocese of Mpanda.