Willy Ngumbi Ngengele

The Right Reverend Willy Ngumbi Ngengele M.Afr
Bishop of Goma
Church	Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Bukavu
Appointed	23 April 2019
Installed	19 May 2019
Predecessor	Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka
Orders
Ordination	1 August 1993
Consecration	22 July 2007 by  Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka
Personal details
Born	(1965-02-13) 13 February 1965 (age 60) Bujumbura, Burundi

Styles of Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, M. Afr
Reference style	His Grace The Right Reverend
Spoken style	Your Grace
Religious style	Bishop

Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, M. Afr (13 February 1965) is a Roman Catholic prelate who serves as the Bishop of Goma since 2019, having been appointed to that position by Pope Francis. ^{[1] [2]}

Background

Ngumbi Ngengele was born on 13 February 1965 in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi. ^{[1] [2]}

Priest

He was ordained priest on 1 August 1993. He is a member of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers). ^{[1] [2]}

Bishop

He was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Kindu on 25 April 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI and was consecrated bishop on 22 Jul 2007 at Kindu. He was consecrated by Bishop Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka, the Bishop of Kasongo, assisted by Archbishop François-Xavier Maroy Rusengo, the Archbishop of Bukavu, and Bishop Martin Albert Happe, the Bishop of Nouakchott. ^{[1] [2]}

At Goma, he succeeded Bishop Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka, then aged 78, whose resignation had been accepted by the Pope. ^[3] He has been a vocal promoter of peace in the Eastern DRC where the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) are battling the March 23 Movement (M23), rebel military group. ^[4] In January 2025, as fighting raged in and around Goma, the bishop issued a statement calling for respect for civilians. In his statement Bishop Ngengele called for “absolute respect by all parties, and in all circumstances, for human life and for private and public infrastructure in accordance with human dignity and international law”, and stressed in particular the need to ensure access to basic services for the population, and to avoid the scourge of sexual violence that so often accompanies armed conflict. ^[5]

See also

• Roman Catholicism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

References

1. David M. Cheney (25 February 2024). "MicroData Summary for Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele M. Afr. (born 13 Feb 1965), Bishop of Goma". Catholic-Hierarchy.org . Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
2. Jude Atemanke (25 May 2022). "Catholic Bishop in DR Congo Calls for Prayers, Unity in Preparation for Papal Visit". ACI Africa Newsletter. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
3. MafRome (23 April 2019). "Bishop Willy Ngumbi Becomes Bishop of Goma". Missionaries of Africa (MafRome). Rome, Italy. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
4. Jude Atemanke. "Don't "fall into trap of enemies of peace": Catholic Bishop in DR Congo to Goma Citizens". ACI Africa Newsletter. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
5. Aido, Paulo; Hartet, Sina (29 January 2025). "DR Congo: Bishop calls for restraint and respect for human life as fighting rages in Goma". ACN International. Retrieved 25 August 2025.

External links

• Catholic Diocese of Goma, DR Congo “constantly” in Pope Francis’ Prayers: Vatican Cardinal As of 15 June 2023.

Succession table

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Paul Mambe Mukanga (15 March 1979 - 26 January 2004)	Bishop of Kindu (25 April 2007 - 23 April 2019)	Succeeded by François Abeli Muhoya Mutchapa (since 18 November 2020)
Preceded by Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka (18 March 2010 - 23 April 2019)	Bishop of Goma (since 23 April 2019)	Succeeded by Incumbent