Kitui Bishop Mwongela’s Appointment Marks Imminent Episcopal Transition in Machakos
By Anchor Writers
Pope Leo XIV today appointed Bishop Joseph Maluki Mwongela, the current Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui, as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos.
This sets the stage for an imminent leadership transition in a diocese that has experienced prolonged pastoral quietude and institutional caution.
The appointment means Bishop Mwongela will immediately assist the current bishop, Rt. Rev. Norman King’oo Wambua, and will automatically succeed him upon his retirement, resignation, or death. Under Canon Law, a coadjutor bishop enjoys the right of succession, unlike an auxiliary bishop whose role is strictly supportive.
Bishop King’oo, born in 1952, is due to attain the mandatory episcopal retirement age of 75 later this year. Catholic bishops are required to submit their resignation to the Pope upon reaching that age, making the appointment of a coadjutor not only timely but also strategic.
Bishop Mwongela, born on April 7, 1968, in Kakumi in Kitui, has led the Kitui diocese with a reputation for pastoral presence and grassroots evangelisation.
He was ordained bishop at St. Charles Lwanga School grounds in Kitui, his home diocese.
His transfer to Machakos places him in line to become the fourth Bishop of Machakos, after the late Bishop Urbanus Joseph Kioko, Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde—later transferred to Mombasa—and Bishop King’oo.
The Diocese of Machakos has, in recent years, experienced a period of transitional stewardship. For three years, Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri served as Apostolic Administrator, providing stability after Archbishop Kivuva’s transfer and before Bishop King’oo fully settled into office.
However, Bishop King’oo’s tenure has largely been characterised by a low public profile and limited engagement with broader civic discourse in Machakos County, making him unknown, if not unfelt, beyond Catholic circles.
A reclusive and largely colourless prelate, he has rarely spoken publicly on pressing social, governance, and moral issues affecting the county, let alone the country, even as Machakos has grappled with deepening administrative dysfunction, labour unrest, and service delivery failures.
His most visible public appearances have been at catholic functions and other events hosted by Governor Wavinya Ndeti, often alongside sections of like minded clergy- neither warm nor cold- who have remained conspicuously silent on the county’s governance crises. That posture has attracted quiet unease among sections of the faithful who expect prophetic moral leadership from the Church, particularly in moments of social distress.
Against that backdrop, the appointment of Bishop Mwongela is widely seen as an attempt by the Vatican to ensure continuity while injecting renewed pastoral energy and engagement into the Machakos diocese.
As coadjutor, he is expected to take on substantial responsibilities as he prepares for full governance of the diocese.
For the Catholic faithful in Machakos, the transition presents an opportunity for a more visible, responsive, and socially grounded episcopal leadership—one attuned not only to sacramental duties but also to the moral questions shaping public life in the county.
Editor’s note: Church related information derived from Fr. John Kivosyo’s Online Lecture Room
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