{{short description|Malawian Anglican bishop (born 1962)}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific_prefix = The Right Reverend | name = William Mchombo | honorific_suffix = | title = Bishop of Upper Shire | image = | alt = | caption = | church = Church of the Province of Central Africa | diocese = Upper Shire | term = 2024–present | predecessor = Brighton Vita Malasa | successor = | other_post = | previous_post = Bishop of Eastern Zambia (2003–2024) <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 14 June 1992 (diaconate)<br/>4 July 1993 (priesthood) | ordained_by = Bernard Malango | consecration = 8 June 2003 | consecrated_by = Bernard Malango | laicized = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|08|21}} | birth_place = Mufulira District, Zambia | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = Malawian<ref name="Chuba">{{cite book |last1=Chuba |first1=Bwalya S. |title=A History of Early Christian Missions and Church Unity in Zambia |date=2005 |publisher=Mission Press |isbn=9789982072748 |page=79 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_Early_Christian_Missions_an/-PVBAQAAIAAJ |access-date=16 June 2025}}</ref> | religion = Anglicanism | residence = | education = University of the Western Cape (BTh) }} '''William Joseph Mchombo''' (born 21 August 1962) is a Zambian-born Malawian Anglican bishop. He was bishop of Eastern Zambia in the Church of the Province of Central Africa from 2003 until 2024, when he was enthroned as bishop of Upper Shire in Malawi.
==Early life, education and ordained ministry== Mchombo was born to Malawian parents in Mufulira District, Zambia, in 1962, and raised in Zambia. He received a bachelor's degree in theology from the University of the Western Cape and was ordained to the diaconate in 1992 and the priesthood in 1993.<ref name="MBC.mw">{{cite news |title=Who is Right Reverend Bishop William Mchombo? |url=https://mbc.mw/who-is-bishop-right-reverend-william-mchombo/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |agency=Malawian Broadcasting Corporation |date=18 May 2024}}</ref>
==Episcopacy== Mchombo was elected the second bishop of Eastern Zambia in 2003 and consecrated to the episcopacy by Archbishop Bernard Malango at St. Luke's Cathedral in Msoro on 8 June 2003.<ref name="MBC.mw" /> As bishop, he became known as "the green bishop of Zambia" for his advocacy for tree planting and environmental clubs in schools.<ref name="SAFCEI">{{cite web |title=The Green Bishop of Zambia emphasises the importance of environmental clubs as he lays the foundation stone at St Luke's Secondary school |url=https://safcei.org/the-green-bishop-of-zambia-emphasises-the-importance-of-environmental-clubs-at-schools/ |publisher=Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute |access-date=16 June 2025 |date=7 October 2022}}</ref>
After 21 years in the Diocese of Eastern Zambia—and following the excommunication of Brighton Vita Malasa as bishop of Upper Shire and the failure of the Malawian diocese to agree on a new bishop—Mchombo was selected by the province's episcopal synod as the third bishop of Upper Shire.<ref name="TheTimes-2024">{{cite news |last1=Malowa |first1=Jarson |title=Bishop William Mchombo elected Adus Bishop |url=https://times.mw/bishop-william-mchombo-elected-adus-bishop/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |work=The Times |date=1 March 2024}}</ref> He was enthroned at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Mangochi on 18 May 2024.<ref name="Malawi24 - Mchombo">{{cite news |last1=Likaka |first1=Raphael |title=Enthronement of William Mchombo as Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire on this May |url=https://malawi24.com/2024/04/20/enthronement-of-william-mchombo-as-bishop-of-anglican-diocese-of-upper-shire-on-this-may/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |work=Malawi24 |date=20 April 2024}}</ref> Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, Vice President Saulos Chilima and National Assembly Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara were among the dignitaries present.<ref name="MANA-2024">{{cite news |title=Chakwera to grace Upper Shire’s Anglican Diocese Bishop William Mchombo’s enthronement |url=https://www.maravipost.com/chakwera-to-grace-upper-shires-anglican-diocese-bishop-william-mchombos-enthronement/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |work=Maravi Post |agency=Malawi News Agency |date=18 May 2024}}</ref>
As bishop of Upper Shire, Mchombo continued to promote tree planting and environmental initiatives.<ref name="Malawi24 - trees">{{cite news |last1=Likaka |first1=Raphael |title=Priests, leaders of parish committees in tree planting |url=https://malawi24.com/2025/03/15/priests-leaders-of-parish-committees-in-tree-planting/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |work=Malawi24 |date=15 March 2025}}</ref><ref name="Malawi24 - trees- 2">{{cite news |title=ADUS champions tree planting to tackle climate change |url=https://malawi24.com/2025/04/12/adus-champions-tree-planting-to-tackle-climate-change/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |work=Malawi24 |date=12 April 2025}}</ref> In 2025, Mchombo launched a savings ministry in 19 parishes, funded by British charity Five Talents, intended to provide financial literacy training and encourage participants to form savings groups.<ref name="Malawi24 - savings">{{cite news |last1=Likaka |first1=Raphael |title=Bishop Mchombo launch Savings Ministry to promote financial empowerment |url=https://malawi24.com/2025/05/06/bishop-mchombo-launch-savings-ministry-to-promote-financial-empowerment/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |work=Malawi24 |date=6 May 2025}}</ref>
After the Province of Central Africa allowed individual dioceses to ordain women as priests in 2024, the Diocese of Upper Shire reaffirmed its policy of ordaining only men to priesthood.<ref name="Malawi24 - 2024">{{cite news |last1=Likaka |first1=Raphael |title=Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire says no to women priests |url=https://malawi24.com/2024/06/23/anglican-diocese-of-upper-shire-says-no-to-women-priests/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |work=Malawi24 |date=23 June 2024}}</ref> However, Mchombo also said the diocese will expand its training for women to hold lay leadership roles in the church.<ref name="Malawi24 - women">{{cite news |title=ADUS to train women into leadership |url=https://malawi24.com/2025/04/02/adus-to-train-women-into-leadership/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |work=Malawi24 |date=2 April 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ac}} {{s-bef|before=John Osmers}} {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Eastern Zambia|years=2003–2024}} {{s-aft|after= Dennis Milanzi}} {{s-bef|before=Brighton Vita Malasa}} {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Upper Shire|years=Since 2024}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Christianity|portal3= Zambia}} {{Bishops of Southern Malawi}} {{Zambia topics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mchombo, William}} Category:Anglican bishops of Eastern Zambia Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in Africa Category:Living people Category:1962 births Category:Anglican bishops of Upper Shire Category:University of the Western Cape alumni