The wise men from the East couldn’t hide their joy upon finding the Lord. This same joy has been witnessed in the Catholic Diocese of Machakos after the Holy See, Pope Leo XIV, appointed Bishop Joseph Maluki Mwongela, the Local Ordinary of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui in Kenya, as Coadjutor Bishop of Machakos Diocese, granting him the “right of succession” in accordance with Canon 403 §3 of the Code of Canon Law.
The appointment was announced by the Holy See Press Office on Sunday, January 4, the Feast of the Epiphany.
In announcing the appointment, the Catholic Mirror, an online publication of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), described the move as one that “signals continuity and renewed pastoral energy” for the Diocese of Machakos.
As Coadjutor Bishop, Bishop Mwongela will assist Bishop Norman King’oo Wambua, the current Local Ordinary of Machakos, and is to automatically succeed him upon the vacancy of the Kenyan Episcopal See, ensuring a smooth and orderly pastoral transition.
Bishop Mwongela, who has served as Bishop of Kitui since his Episcopal Consecration in August 2020, is set to succeed the fourth Bishop of Machakos, who stands in a line of episcopal leadership that includes the late Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana’a Nzeki, the late Bishop Urbanus Joseph Kioko and Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde, who was later transferred to head the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.
For over three years (February 2015 – August 2018), the Diocese of Machakos also benefited from the pastoral oversight of Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese, who served as Apostolic Administrator during a period of transition.
Born on 7 April 1968 in Kakumi, within the Diocese of Kitui, Bishop Mwongela brings to Machakos a pastoral style shaped by years of service, theological formation, and close engagement with the people of God.
Academically, Bishop Mwongela holds a licentiate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University and a doctorate from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.
During his Episcopal Ordination on 29 August 2020 at the grounds of St. Charles Lwanga School, Kitui, Bishop Mwongela outlined a pastoral vision rooted in humility and service.
He is the current Chairman for the Commission for Pastoral and Lay Apostolate in the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB)
As he prepares to take up his new role in Machakos Diocese, his pastoral priorities of unity, humble service, evangelization, and engagement with social realities are expected to continue shaping his Episcopal ministry.
