Salesius Mugambi

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox Christian leader |type = Bishop |honorific_prefix = The Most Reverend |name = Salesius Mugambi |title = Bishop Emeritus of Meru, Kenya |image = |church = Catholic Church |archdiocese = Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri |see = Diocese of Meru |appointed = 1 December 2001 |term_start = 19 March 2002 |term_end = 1 January 2026 |predecessor = Silas Silvius Njiru |successor = Jackson Murugara |other_post = Coadjutor Bishop of Meru, Kenya (1 December 2001 - 18 March 2004) |ordination = 10 December 1977 |ordinated_by = |consecration = 19 March 2002 |consecrated_by = Giovanni Tonucci |cardinal = |rank = Bishop | birth_name = Salesius Mugambi |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|01|01|df=y}} |birth_place = Egandene, Apostolic Prefecture of Meru, Kenya |death_date = |death_place = |motto = }} {{Infobox bishopstyles | name= Salesius Mugambi | dipstyle= *Your Grace *The Most Reverend | offstyle=His Grace | relstyle= Bishop | image =Template-Bishop.svg | image_size = 200px }}

''' Salesius Mugambi''' (born 1 January 1951) is a Kenyan Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meru between the years 2002 and 2025. He was appointed bishop of Meru on 1 December 2001 by Pope John Paul II. On 1 January 2026, having attained the mandatory retirement age for Catholic bishops, he retired from pastoral care of Meru Diocese. He was succeeded the same day by Bishop Jackson Murugara, previously Coadjutor bishop at Meru.

==Background and education== He was born on 1 January 1951, at Egandene, Apostolic Prefecture of Meru, in Meru County, Central Kenya. He studied philosophy and Theology before he was ordained into priesthood on 10 December 1977.<ref name="1R">{{cite web|url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmugambi.html | title=MicroData Summary for Bishop Salesius Mugambi (born 1 January 1951), Bishop of Meru |work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |date=18 January 2025 |author=David M. Cheney |access-date=29 January 2025 |location=Kansas City}}</ref>

==Priest== He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Meru on 10 December 1977. He served in that capacity until 1 December 2001.<ref name="1R"/>

==As bishop== On 1 December 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed him as Coadjutor Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meru, to deputize Bishop Silas Silvius Njiru. He was consecrated and installed at the Kinoru Stadium, in Meru, Diocese of Meru. The Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Giovanni Tonucci, Titular Archbishop of Torcello assisted by Bishop Silas Silvius Njiru, Bishop of Meru and Archbishop John Njue, Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri.<ref name="1R"/>

On 18 March 2004, Bishop Silas Silvius Njiru, the Ordinary of the Diocese of Meru retired. Bishop Salesius Mugambi succeeded as bishop there on that day. He continued to serve as the Bishop of Meru, Kenya since then.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R">{{cite web| date=17 October 2014 | url=https://communications.amecea.org/index.php/2014/10/17/bishop-salesius-mugambi-reaffir/ |title=Kenya: Bishop Salesius Mugambi Reaffirms Catholic Church's Position on the Sanctity of Life |work=Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) |author1=Rose Achiego | author2=Waumini Communications |access-date=28 January 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref><ref name="3R">{{cite web| url=https://minsccs.org/bishop/ | title=Catholic Diocese of Meru: Small Christian Communities |date=2019 |work=Small Christian Communities Ministries (SCCM) |author=SCCM |access-date= 28 January 2025 | location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>

On 1 January 2026, Bishop Mugambi attained the mandatory retirement age for Catholic bishops. Bishop Jackson Murugara, previously the Coadjutor bishop at Meru, succeeded him that same day.<ref name="4R">{{cite web|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 |date=3 January 2026 |author=ACI Africa |access-date=12 January 2026 | location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>

==See also== * Catholic Church in Kenya

==References== {{reflist}}

==Succession table== {{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=}} {{s-ttl|title=Coadjutor Bishop of Meru<br/>(1 December 2001 - 18 March 2004)}} {{s-aft|after=}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Silas Silvius Njiru}} (9 December 1976 - 18 March 2004) {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Meru<br/>(18 March 2004 - 1 January 2026)}} {{s-aft|after=Jackson Murugara<br/>(since 1 January 2026)}} {{s-break}} {{s-end}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}}

* [https://catholicdioceseofmeru.org/history/ Introduction and Background of Meru Diocese] * [https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/meru/catholic-church-wants-uhuru-ruto-ceasefire-for-peaceful-polls-3875350 Catholic Church wants Uhuru-Ruto ceasefire for 'peaceful' Polls]

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3=Kenya}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mugambi, Salesius}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:Kenyan Roman Catholics Category:People from Meru County Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Kenya Category:Bishops appointed by Pope John Paul II Category:Kenyan Roman Catholic bishops Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Meru