The Catholic Diocese of Maralal has suspended six priests and unveiled sweeping reforms aimed at restoring discipline, accountability and transparency within the Church, following allegations of misconduct, abuse of ecclesiastical authority and financial mismanagement.
In a pastoral and administrative directive delivered during Holy Mass for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Maralal, Rt. Rev. Bishop Hieronymus Emusugut Joya said the disciplinary action forms part of wider efforts to address long-standing financial and governance challenges facing the Diocese.
Reflecting on his three years and eight months at the helm of the Diocese, Bishop Joya said he inherited an institution burdened by financial and administrative difficulties, forcing him to seek grants and donations to restore stability.
He revealed that in December 2022, he convened a meeting of all diocesan priests, where they resolved that parishes and Church institutions would contribute towards settling the Diocese’s financial obligations. However, he said not all priests embraced the initiative.
The Bishop dismissed criticism that he was constantly asking for money, explaining that donations received have been used to clear debts, conduct audits, restructure diocesan systems, strengthen administration and support development projects across parishes and Church institutions.
He maintained that no priest is disciplined without credible evidence, saying the suspensions followed reliable reports of misconduct and were taken in accordance with the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law to safeguard the integrity of the priesthood and ensure proper stewardship of Church property.
The suspended priests are Rev. Fr. Paul Maina, Rev. Fr. Peter Musau, Rev. Fr. Stephen Lekasuyan, Rev. Fr. Peter Nderitu, Rev. Fr. Christopher Letikirich and Rev. Fr. John Dida.
According to Bishop Joya, the priests will remain suspended from all priestly and pastoral duties pending the conclusion of ecclesiastical disciplinary processes and any legal proceedings that may arise.
As part of the reforms, the Bishop introduced strict regulations governing the conduct of priests.
The new directives require priests to be in their presbyteries before 7 p.m. for evening prayers and prohibit them from spending nights away from their residences without the Bishop’s permission. Lay persons are also barred from staying overnight in priests’ houses or religious convents without prior authorization.
The Bishop further banned priests from consuming alcohol in bars or within parish and institutional residences, and warned that no priest should celebrate the liturgy while intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol.
He also prohibited priests from engaging in private business unrelated to the Church or acquiring property through relatives without providing a legitimate explanation for its source.
In addition, Bishop Joya directed that priests must not cohabit or engage in intimate relationships with persons of either the opposite or the same sex, while diocesan vehicles and motorcycles are to be operated only by officially assigned personnel.
To strengthen financial accountability, he ordered all parishes, institutions and Church groups to operate transparently through functional finance councils, annual budgets and regular audits, while ensuring full compliance with both Canon Law and the laws of Kenya.
Under Canon Law, a suspension does not strip a priest of his priesthood. Instead, it temporarily bars him from exercising priestly ministry, including celebrating Mass publicly, administering most sacraments and carrying out pastoral duties, while investigations and disciplinary processes continue. A priest remains ordained unless he is later dismissed from the clerical state through a separate canonical process approved by the Vatican.
Bishop Joya called on the faithful to pray for the suspended priests as they undergo a period of reflection and urged Catholics to continue supporting the Diocese as it works to restore integrity, accountability and effective pastoral leadership.
