Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitui

{{Short description|Roman Catholic diocese in Kenya}} {{Expand Italian|Diocesi di Kitui|date=February 2011}} {{Infobox diocese |jurisdiction = Diocese |name = Kitui |latin = Dioecesis Kituiensis |country = {{flag|Kenya}} |rite = [[Roman Rite]] |cathedral = Cathedral of Our Lady of Africa |cocathedral = |area_km2 = 30,246 |population = 1,1m |population_as_of = 2013 |catholics = 240,000 |catholics_percent= 21.8 |pope = {{Incumbent pope}} |bishop = [[John Mbua Mwandi]] (Bishop-Elect) |coadjutor = |auxiliary_bishops= |local=|image=|coat=|flag=|territory=|headquarters=|denomination=|parishes=|churches=|sui_iuris_church=[[Latin Church]]|established=|founded=|dissolved=|patron=|language=}}

The '''Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitui''' ({{langx|la|Kituien(sis)}}) is a [[diocese]] located in the city of [[Kitui]] in the [[ecclesiastical province]] of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi|Nairobi]] in [[Kenya]].

==History== * February 20, 1956: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Kitui from the [[Diocese of Meru]] and Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nairobi * November 16, 1963: Promoted as Diocese of Kitui

==Leadership== * Prefects Apostolic of Kitui (Latin Church) ** Father William Dunne, S.P.S. (1956.10.19 – 1963.11.16); ''see below'' * [[Bishop]]s of Kitui (Latin Church) ** Bishop [[William Dunne]], [[Saint Patrick's Society for the Foreign Missions|S.P.S.]] (1963.11.16 – 1995.11.02); ''see above'' ** Bishop [[Boniface Lele]] (1995.11.02 – 2005.04.01), appointed Archbishop of Mombasa ** Bishop [[Martin Kivuva Musonde]] (Apostolic Administrator 2007.05 - ?) ** Bishop [[Anthony Muheria]] (2008.10.08 - 2017.04.23) (catholic-hierarchy has appointment 2008.06.28), appointed Archbishop of Nyeri ** Bishop [[Joseph Mwongela]] (17 Marh 2020 - 4 January 2026) ** Bishop-Elect [[John Mbua Mwandi]] (Appointe 27 May 2026)<ref name="KituiR">{{cite web| url=https://communications.amecea.org/index.php/2026/05/29/kenya-pope-leo-xiv-appoints-msgr-john-mbua-mwandi-bishop-of-kenyas-kitui-diocese/ |title=Kenya: Pope Leo XIV Appoints Msgr. John Mbua Mwandi, Bishop of Kenya’s Kitui Diocese |work=[[AMECEA|AMECEA News]] |date=29 May 2026 |author=Jecinter Olweny |access-date=29 May 2026 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>

Catholic Diocese of Kitui covers the County of Kitui, consisting of four former Administrative Districts of Kyuso, [[Mwingi]], [[Kitui]] and [[Mutomo]], an arid and semi arid area of approximately 30,142 km in Eastern Kenya. It has a population of around 1.09 million people with over 240,000 baptized Catholics (*Source: Central Statistics of the State; Secretariat of State; (2011)

The first Missionaries to evangelize Kitui were Holy Ghost fathers ([[Congregation of the Holy Spirit]]) from Kabaa ([[Machakos]] diocese) in early 1930s. At the time the Holy Ghost Fathers were introducing Christianity in Kitui, the [[Consolata Missionaries]] from [[Meru, Kenya|Meru]] were evangelizing in the northern side of Kitui bordering Tharaka, present day Kimangau. The first Mass was celebrated in Museve Hill by a Holy Ghost priest. The first Mission house was built in 1945 at [[Mutune]]. Kitui Apostolic Prefecture was carved out from the [[Archdiocese of Nairobi]] in 1956 and placed under care of [[Saint Patrick's Society for the Foreign Missions]] (also known as the [[Kiltegan Fathers]]). In 1964 it was erected as a diocese on 16 November 1963, with His Lordship, the late Right Rev. William Dunne as the first Bishop (R.I.P) on 9 February 1964. Bishop Dunne retired on 2 November 1995. The first diocesan priests in the diocese were Frs. Peter Muema Kyumbua and Boniface Lele Emeritus Archbishop of Mombasa (RIP), who were ordained in 1974.

Following the retirement of Bishop Dunne, Bishop Boniface Lele was appointed as Bishop of Kitui and ordained as bishop on 2 February 1996 succeeding him. Archbishop Lele was appointed Archbishop of [[Archdiocese of Mombasa]] on 1 April 2005. Rev. Fr. Paul Healy was the Diocesan Administrator until the appointment of Rt. Rev. Bishop Martin Kivuva as the Apostolic Administrator. On 28 July 2008, Rt. Rev. Anthony Muheria was appointed bishop of Kitui taking possession on 10 August 2008.

==See also== *[[Roman Catholicism in Kenya]] *Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops <ref>{{Cite web|title=KENYA CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS — "You shall be my witnesses" (ACTS 1:8) ...for the Sanctification and Salvation of all People|url=http://www.kccb.or.ke/|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== * [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/kitu0.htm GCatholic.org] *[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dkitu.html Catholic Hierarchy] * [http://www.dioceseofkitui.org/index.php catholic diocese of Kitui website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925150312/http://www.dioceseofkitui.org/index.php |date=2017-09-25 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitui}} [[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in Kenya]] [[Category:Christian organizations established in 1956]] [[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century]] [[Category:1956 establishments in Kenya]] [[Category:Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Nairobi]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Kitui| ]]