The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV has officially accepted the resignation of Rt. Rev. Paul Kariuki Njiru as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wote, bringing a major transition to Kenya’s youngest Catholic diocese.
In a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the Pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Kariuki, who had been serving as the founding bishop of the diocese since it was established in July 2023.
The resignation was described as voluntary and comes after a prolonged period of health challenges.
Bishop Kariuki, 63, was appointed the pioneer bishop of the Diocese of Wote on July 22, 2023, when the Vatican created the new diocese to serve Catholic faithful in Makueni County and the wider Lower Eastern region.
He was officially installed as the first bishop on September 30, 2023, marking a historic moment for Catholics in Wote and surrounding areas.
However, only a few months after his installation, the bishop suffered a serious health crisis that led to prolonged hospitalization and mild paralysis, which affected his speech and ability to continue active pastoral duties.
Following the illness, transitional leadership arrangements were put in place to ensure that church operations and pastoral work continued smoothly across the diocese.
With the resignation now formally accepted, the Diocese of Wote is officially sede vacante (without a bishop).
To ensure continuity in leadership, Rt. Rev. Simon Peter Kamomoe will continue serving as Apostolic Administrator. In this role, he will oversee both the spiritual and administrative needs of the diocese until a new bishop is appointed by the Vatican.
The Diocese of Wote, which was carved out of the larger Machakos Diocese, is one of the newest Catholic dioceses in Kenya and currently serves tens of thousands of faithful through more than 30 parishes, schools, and church institutions.
Catholic faithful across Makueni and the Lower Eastern region have been urged to continue praying for Bishop Kariuki, thanking him for his dedication and willingness to shepherd the Diocese of Wote from its very beginning despite the health challenges he faced shortly after taking office.
