Pope Leo XIV Makes Leadership Changes In Kenya
Pope Leo XIV has formally established a new Catholic diocese in the Rift Valley and named a bishop to govern it.
This is a big milestone for the Catholic Church in the country.
On Thursday, His Excellency Bert Van Megen, Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya, declared that the new Diocese would be known as the Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet.
The present Catholic Diocese of Eldoret was split up into the Diocese of Kapsabet, which will contain parishes within Nandi County’s current administrative boundaries.
Pope Leo XIV has nominated Rt. Rev. John Kiplimo Lelei as the first bishop of the newly founded diocese.
BREAKING NEWS
— Capuchin (Catholic) TV, Kenya (@CapuchinTv) July 10, 2025
Pope Leo XIV today 10/07/2025 has Erected the New Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet hiving it off from the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret and Appoints His Lordship Bishop John Kiplimo Lelei as the first Bishop of the Newly Created Diocese. pic.twitter.com/IJRYT3f1fy
Under his direction, the Catholic faithful in the area are starting a new chapter.
Before his appointment, Bishop Lelei served as the auxiliary bishop of Eldoret.
He has played a key role in the church’s pastoral and administrative obligations and is well-known for his commitment to service.
Bishop Lelei was born on August 15, 1958. He was ordained a priest on October 26, 1985, and has been with the church for almost four decades.
On May 25, 2024, he was consecrated as auxiliary bishop of Eldoret, where he supported the leadership and ministry of the Eldoret Diocese until the new diocese was established.
The establishment of the Diocese of Kapsabet is expected to bring the church closer to the people of Nandi County, improving pastoral care, evangelism, and community participation in the area.
ALSO READ:
- Eliud Owalo Blasts Ruto Gov’t, Demands EACC & DCI Investigations Into Fake Sugar Scandal
- President’s Office Releases 2026 National Holidays Calendar, Names Host Counties
- Kenya Goes After British Oil Giant Over Hundreds Of Deaths In The North
- KDF Soldier Arrested Over Wife’s Murder in Nakuru
- Parliament Passes VAT Bill For Petroleum, Slashes It To 8%
Last Friday, Pope Leo XIV appointed Willybard Kitogho Lagho, a Kenyan bishop from the Catholic Diocese of Malindi, to the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.
Lagho’s nomination was announced on Friday, July 4, and she will join one of the Roman Curia’s primary administrative bodies.
The Roman Curia is a complex administrative structure that supports the Pope in governing the Catholic Church.
Prior to his appointment, Lagho chaired the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism (CIRDE).
Pope Leo XIV Makes Leadership Changes In Kenya
It’s a blessing to all..
It’s a blessing to all the Christians in the area and world at large