The Catholic Diocese of Kitui is officially without a substantive bishop following the appointment of Bishop Joseph Maluki Mwongela as Coadjutor Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos by Pope Leo XIV, marking a major transition in the leadership of two Eastern Kenyan dioceses.
With the appointment now official, Bishop Mwongela has ceased to be the diocesan bishop of Kitui, in accordance with the Code of Canon Law, which prohibits a bishop from simultaneously governing two dioceses as diocesan bishop. His new role places him in Machakos with the right of automatic succession upon the retirement or resignation of Bishop Norman King’oo Wambua. The Diocese of Kitui has therefore entered a canonical period known as sede vacante, meaning “the seat is vacant,” as it awaits fresh direction from the Holy See.
Bishop Mwongela was born on 7 April 1968 in Kakumi, Kitui County and was appointed Bishop of Kitui on 17 March 2020. He was installed as the fourth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui on 29 August 2020, bringing decades of pastoral experience to the role. Bishop Joseph Mwongela is the fourth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui, continuing a line of pastoral leadership that began with Bishop William Dunne, S.P.S., the first bishop following the erection of the diocese in 1963.
He was succeeded by Bishop Boniface Lele, who later became Archbishop of Mombasa, and then Bishop Anthony Muheria, who served until his appointment as Archbishop of Nyeri in 2017. Bishop Mwongela’s tenure strengthened diocesan structures, pastoral outreach, and faith-based initiatives, including diocesan media and parish networks.
The Catholic Diocese of Kitui was established on 16 November 1963 and currently comprises 36 parishes, organized into several deaneries. The diocese serves a population of over one million people, with approximately 260,000 baptized Catholics. Through its parish networks, religious communities, clergy, and laity, the diocese plays a central role in evangelization, education, health services, and social outreach across the county. The vacancy of the episcopal seat now places the diocese in a transitional phase, awaiting guidance from the Holy See on the appointment of a new bishop.
As Coadjutor Bishop of Machakos, Bishop Mwongela will assist Bishop Norman King’oo Wambua and automatically succeed him upon retirement or resignation, in line with Canon Law. This ensures continuity, stability, and a smooth transition of leadership in Machakos while highlighting Bishop Mwongela’s pastoral experience and trusted leadership.
The move marks a significant transition for both dioceses, with the faithful in Kitui now in a period of prayer and anticipation, while Machakos looks forward to renewed pastoral momentum under Bishop Mwongela’s guidance.
