At 25, Kenya-based Blessed Bakanja Seminary Making Inroads into Central, Southern Africa

Blessed Bakanja Seminary was authorized to function as a regional Major Seminary by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples on 18 December 1986, with Servant of God Maurice Cardinal Otunga as its first Chairperson.

From inception, the institution has been tasked with forming Seminarians from the AMECEA countries.

The Seminary also formed the first cycle for the College of Theology of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), another establishment of AMECEA.

Further, Blessed Bakanja Seminary was tasked with creating unity and missionary spirit among the pastoral agents of diverse backgrounds, cultures and countries in the region especially through training of future Diocesan Priests together in one formation house.

Bishop Victor Hlolo Phalana of South Africa’s Klerksdorp Diocese who attended the 25th Anniversary celebration hinted at a collaboration with CUEA, which he lauded for offering unique degree programs.

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Bishop Phalana noted that CUEA, in particular, offers Pontifical degrees, which he said are lacking in some Seminaries in South Africa.

“The idea that we have, perhaps, is that we can talk to the Seminary commission in South Africa and the Rector to explore the possibility of affiliating with CUEA so that we may benefit from receiving Pontifical degrees,” the South African Catholic Bishop of Klerksdorp Diocese said.

The member of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC) lauded the “wealth of Catholic heritage that is here in Eastern Africa”, noting that he had been happy to send some Seminarians from his country to the Nairobi-based AMECEA institution.

“Having had an opportunity in the ‘90s to come here to do my sabbatical, I found myself doing some courses in CUEA, Tangaza University College, and Hekima College. I enjoyed myself and I was exposed to the wealth of Catholic heritage that is here in Eastern Africa, not knowing that I would one (day) become a Bishop. Now that I am one, I decided to give some of my Seminarians an opportunity to come and experience what I experienced,” Bishop Phalana said.

The 62-year-old Bishop who has been at the helm of Klerksdorp Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in January 2015 said that a number of South African Seminarians who had gone through Blessed Bakanja Seminary had already been ordained Priests. 

Blessed Bakanja Seminary is described as a place where Major Seminarians “are able to develop their talents as they continue to discover and discern their vocation to Priesthood in a mature and transparent way.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.