Joseph Mwongela

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Joseph Mwongela
Coadjutor Bishop of Machakos, Kenya
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi
See	Roman Catholic Diocese of Machakos
Appointed	4 January 2026
Successor	Incumbent
Other posts	Bishop of Diocese of Kitui (17 March 2020 - 4 January 2026)
Orders
Ordination	7 September 1996
Consecration	29 August 2020 by  Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen
Rank	Bishop
Personal details
Born	Joseph Maluki Mwongela (1968-04-07) 7 April 1968 (age 57) Kakumi, Kitui County, Kenya

Styles of Joseph Mwongela
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Joseph Maluki Mwongela (born 7 April 1968) is a Kenyan Roman Catholic prelate who serves as Coadjutor Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Machakos, in Kenya. He was appointed to that position on 4 January 2026 by Pope Leo XIV. Before that, from 17 March 2020 until 4 January 2026, he was the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitui. Pope Francis appointed him bishop on 17 March 2020. He was consecrated and installed at Kitui on 29 August 2020 by Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, Titular Archbishop of Novaliciana.

Background and education

Joseph Mwongela was born on 7 April 1968, in Kakumi Village, in the Diocese of Kitui, in present-day Kitui County. He attended Saint Mary's Senior Seminary for the preparatory year. He studied philosophy at Saint Augustine's Senior Seminary in Mabanga. He then studied theology at Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi. He graduated with a Licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. He also holds a Doctorate in theology awarded by the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). ^[1]

Priesthood

He was ordained a priest on 7 September 1996. He served as a priest of the Diocese of Kitui, until 17 March 2020. While a priest, he served in various roles and locations including: ^[1]

• Parish vicar of Migwani Parish from 1996 until 1997.
• Parish priest of Ngumi Parish from 1997 until 1998.
• Formator at Saint Patrick Formation House from 1999 until 2001.
• Diocesan chancellor and director of the diocesan office for vocational pastoral care from 2001 until 2003.
• Studies in Rome leading to a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) from 2003 until 2008.
• Parish priest of Muthade Parish from 2008 until 2013.
• Parish priest of Boma Parish from 2014 until 2015.
• Director of the Saint John Paul II Institute of Professional Studies from 2014 until 2015.
• Vicar General of the diocese of Kitui from 2015 until 2020. ^[1]

Bishop

Reverend Father Mwongela was appointed Bishop of Kitui on 17 March 2020 and was consecrated a bishop at Kitui on 29 August 2020 by Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, Titular Archbishop of Novaliciana and Papal Nuncio to Kenya at that time, assisted by Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Nairobi and Archbishop Anthony Muheria, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Nyeri. ^[2]

Bishop Mwongela succeeded as bishop of the Kitui Diocese from Archbishop Anthony Muheria, of Nyeri Archdiocese, who was the apostolic administrator over Kitui diocese after he was transferred by the Pope to the Archdiocese of Nyeri in April 2017. ^{[3] [4]}

Mwongela was appointed coadjutor bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Machakos on 4 January 2026 by Pope Leo XIV. Bishop Mwongela is expected to work with Bishop Norman King'oo Wambua, the local ordinary of the diocese and succeed at Machakos when that position falls vacant in the future. ^{[5] [6]}

References

1. Agenzia Fides (4 January 2026). "Africa/Kenya: Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Machakos". Agenzia Fides . Vatican City. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
2. David M. Cheney (29 August 2020). "MicroData Summary for Joseph Maluki Mwongela". Catholic-Hierarchy.org . Kansas City. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
3. Carolyne Tanui (29 August 2020). "Bishop Joseph Mwongela Ordained To Head Kitui Catholic Diocese". Nairobi: 98.4 Capital FM . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
4. Musembi Nzengu (29 August 2020). "Mwongela installed Catholic bishop of Kitui". The Star (Kenya) . Nairobi. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
5. Vatican Press Office (4 January 2026). "Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Machakos, Kenya". Vatican Press Office . Vatican City. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
6. ACI Africa (5 January 2026). "Catholic Bishop of Kitui Diocese in Kenya Appointed Coadjutor of Country's Machakos Diocese". ACI Africa. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 1 February 2026.

Succession table

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by	Coadjutor Bishop of Machakos (since 4 January 2026)	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Anthony Muheria (28 June 2008 - 23 April 2017)	Bishop of Kitui (17 March 2020 - 4 January 2026)	Succeeded by Vacant

External links

• About the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitui