Pope Francis appoints Bishop Maurice Makumba Archbishop of Kisumu
Bishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba. He has been appointed the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu.
Pope Francis has confirmed the appointment of Nakuru Diocese Bishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba as the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu.
Bishop Muhatia has been serving as the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese since November 20 last year.
He takes over from Arch Bishop Phillip Anyolo who was last year moved to head Nairobi Diocese.
"The Holy Pope has appointed Rt Reverend Maurice Muhatia Makumba as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kisumu. This is to fill the position left by Bishop Philip Anyolo who was appointed to head the Nairobi Catholic Archdiocese,” read the communication sent to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) seen by Nation.Africa.
The appointment was officially published in L'Osservatore Romanoin Romeon February 18, 2022. The Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, His Excellency Archbishop Bert Van Megen, also sent an official communication to the KCCB.
Born at Lirhanda village in Kakamega County in 1968, Bishop Makumba became the youngest Catholic bishop in Kenya at the age of 41.
He joined St Mary’s Major Seminary after completing secondary school at St Charles Lwanga.
He then went to Rome, Italy, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree at Urbaniana Pontifican University and a Master’s degree in philosophy at Pontifical Holy Cross University.
He was ordained priest on October 15, 1994.
Until his appointment, he was the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, a position he has held since December 19, 2009.
He is currently the vice-chairman of KCCB and Principal Administrator of Kenya Catholic Secretariat.
He has also served as the chairman of the KCCB- Commission for Education and Religious Education and part-time National Executive Secretary for KCCB- Commission for Doctrine.
He was ordained as priest for the Catholic Diocese of Kakamega on October 15, 1994.
After ordination, he held various positions in Kamamega, Mukumu and Nairobi.
He takes over from Archbishop Anyolo who was inaugurated last year, in a ceremony presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Bert Van Megen.
Bishop Anyolo took over from Nairobi Auxiliary Bishop David Kamau who stepped in as an Apostolic Administrator following the retirement of Cardinal John Njue in January 2021.
