{{Short description|Kenyan Catholic prelate (born 1970)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific_prefix = The Most Reverend | name = Jackson Murugara | image = | title = Bishop of Meru, Kenya | church = Catholic Church | archdiocese = Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri | see = Diocese of Meru | appointed = 16 January 2025 | term_start = 19 March 2025 | predecessor = | successor = Incumbent | other_post = | ordination = 15 August 2001 | ordained_by = | consecration = 19 March 2025 | consecrated_by = Hubertus van Megen, Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo and Salesius Mugambi | birth_name = Jackson Murugara | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|04|07|df=y}} | birth_place = Kamanyaki, Tharaka-Nithi County, Diocese of Meru, Kenya | death_date = | death_place = | previous_post = Parish priest and Rector of the Consolata Shrine in Westlands (Consolata Missionaries), Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, Kenya<br/>Coadjutor Bishop of Meru (16 January 2025 - 1 January 2026) | motto = ''Good must be done well in silence'' | caption = }} {{Infobox bishop styles|name=Jackson Murugara|dipstyle=His Excellency, The Most Reverend|offstyle=Your Excellency|relstyle=Bishop |image=Template-Bishop.svg}} {{Ordination | date of diaconal ordination = 18 November 2000 | date of priestly ordination = 15 August 2001 | consecrated by = Hubertus van Megen | co-consecrators = Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo and Salesius Mugambi | date of consecration = 19 March 2025 | place of consecration = Kinoru Stadium, Meru (Roman Catholic Diocese of Meru) }}
'''Jackson Murugara''' I.M.C., (born 7 April 1970) is a Kenyan Roman Catholic prelate who is the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meru, Kenya. He is a member of the Order of the Consolata Missionaries. He was appointed bishop on 16 January 2025 by Pope Francis. He was consecrated and installed at Meru, Diocese of Meru on 19 March 2025. He succeeded as local ordinary at Meru on 1 January 2026, following the age-related retirement of Bishop Salesius Mugambi.
==Early life and education== He was born on 7 April 1970 at Kamanyaki, Tharaka-Nithi County, in the Diocese of Meru, in Kenya. He attended the ''Muthitwa Primary School'', from 1981 until 1988. He then transferred to ''Mitiri Boys' School'', before he entered ''St. Pius X Minor Seminary Nkubu'' in Nkubu, Meru County, where he studied from 1990 until 1992. He holds a degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies, awarded by the ''Consolata Institute of Philosophy'', in Nairobi. He also graduated with another degree from the Pontifical Urban University.<ref name="1R">{{cite web |title=MicroData Summary for Bishop Jackson Murugara I.M.C. (born 7 April 1970), Coadjutor Bishop of Meru |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmurugara.html |date=20 January 2025 |work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |author=David M. Cheney |access-date=21 March 2025 | location=Kansas City}}</ref><ref name="2R">{{cite web|url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2025-01-16-pope-francis-appoints-fr-jackson-murugara-coadjutor-bishop-of-meru |title=Pope Francis appoints Fr Jackson Murugara Coadjutor Bishop of Meru |work=The Star (Kenya) |date=16 January 2025 |author=Emmanuel Wanjala |access-date=29 January 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref> From 1997 until 2001, he studied Theology at the Missionary Institute of London, affiliated with Middlesex University.<ref name="3R">{{cite web| url=https://communications.amecea.org/index.php/2025/01/17/kenya-fr-jackson-murugara-of-consolata-missionaries-appointed-coadjutor-bishop-of-meru-diocese/ | title=Kenya: Father Jackson Murugara of Consolata Missionaries Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Meru Diocese |work=Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) |date=17 January 2025 |author=Henriette Anne |access-date=29 January 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>
==Priest== He took his perpetual vows as a member of the Consolata Missionaries on 18 November 2000. He was ordained priest of the Consolata Missionaries on 15 August 2001. He served in that capacity until 16 January 2025.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/>
Following his ordination, he served in various roles including as:<ref name="2R"/><ref name="3R"/> * Collaborator in Kagaene Parish, Meru Diocese from 2001 until 2002 * Collaborator in Mujwa Parish, Meru Diocese from 2001 until 2002 * Parish Vicar in Chiga Parish, Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu from 2002 until 2003 * Formator of postulants at the Consolata Seminary in Nairobi from 2003 until 2009. * Director of the Bethany House and Charity Home pastoral centres in the Diocese of Muranga from 2011 until 2018. * Parish priest and Rector of the Consolata Shrine in Westlands, Archdiocese of Nairobi, Kenya from 2018 until 2025.<ref name="2R"/><ref name="3R"/>
==Bishop== On 16 January 2025 Pope Francis appointed him Coadjutor Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meru, to work with and later succeed Bishop Salesius Mugambi, at that time the Ordinary of Meru Catholic Diocese. His consecration and installation were scheduled for 19 March 2025 at Meru.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/><ref name="4R">{{cite web| date=17 January 2025 | url=https://cisanewsafrica.com/2025/01/kenya-consolata-priest-fr-jackson-murugara-appointed-coadjutor-bishop-of-meru/ |title=Kenya: Consolata Priest Father Jackson Murugara Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Meru |work=CISA News Africa |author=Paschal Norbert |access-date=29 January 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>
He was consecrated and installed at ''Kinoru Stadium'', Meru, Diocese of Meru on 19 March 2025. The Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, Titular Archbishop of Novaliciana assisted by Archbishop Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo, Archbishop of Nairobi and Bishop Salesius Mugambi, Bishop of Meru.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="5R">{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/kenya/kindiki-misses-meru-bishop-s-installation-due-to-bad-weather/ar-AA1BeNuc?ocid=BingNewsVerp |title=Kindiki Misses Meru Bishop's Installation Due To Bad Weather |date=19 March 2025 |work=Microsoft Network (MSN) | access-date=21 March 2025 |format=MSN Quoting The Star (Kenya)}}</ref>
On 1 January 2026, Bishop Salesius Mugambi retired, having attained the mandatory retirement age for Catholic Bishops. That same day, Bishop Jackson Murugara, previously Coadjutor bishop, succeeded as local ordinary at Meru.<ref name="6R">{{cite web| date=3 January 2026 | url=https://www.aciafrica.org/news/19419/coadjutor-bishop-of-meru-takes-the-helm-of-the-kenyan-catholic-diocese-as-bishop-mugambi-retires-at-75 |title=Coadjutor Bishop of Meru Takes the Helm of the Kenyan Catholic Diocese as Bishop Mugambi Retires at 75 |work=ACI Africa |access-date=12 January 2026 |author=ACI Africa |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>
==See also==
==Succession table== {{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=}} {{s-ttl|title=Coadjutor Bishop of Meru<br/>(16 January 2025 - 1 January 2026)}} {{s-aft|after=}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Salesius Mugambi}} (1 December 2001 - 1 January 2026) {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Meru<br/>(since 1 January 2026)}} {{s-aft|after=(Incumbent)}} {{s-break}} {{s-end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://consolataafrica.org/en/father-jackson-murugara-imc-appointed-coadjutor-bishop-of-meru/ Father Jackson Murugara, IMC, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Meru]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murugara, Jackson}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:People from Tharaka-Nithi County Category:Kenyan Roman Catholic bishops Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Meru Category:Pontifical Urban University alumni Category:Alumni of Middlesex University Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Francis Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Kenya