Pope Leo XIV has established a new Catholic diocese in Kenya’s Rift Valley region, marking a major milestone in the expansion of the Catholic Church in the country. The new ecclesiastical territory, named the Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet, will serve the faithful in Nandi County.
Announcing the development on Thursday, His Excellency Bert Van Megen, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya, confirmed that the Diocese of Eldoret has been subdivided to create the new Kapsabet Diocese. The parishes falling within the boundaries of Nandi County will now fall under the jurisdiction of the new diocese.
Pope Leo XIV appointed Rt. Rev. John Kiplimo Lelei as the first bishop of the Diocese of Kapsabet. Bishop Lelei, who previously served as the Auxiliary Bishop of Eldoret, brings decades of pastoral experience and leadership to his new role.
Born on August 15, 1958, Bishop Lelei was ordained a priest on October 26, 1985. He was consecrated as auxiliary bishop on May 25, 2024, supporting the leadership of the Eldoret Diocese until his elevation to lead Kapsabet.
With this new diocese, the Church aims to strengthen its presence and better serve the Catholic community in Nandi County by enhancing evangelization efforts, pastoral care, and community outreach.
Meanwhile, in a separate appointment, Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop Willybard Kitogho Lagho of the Catholic Diocese of Malindi as a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. The appointment, announced on Friday, July 4, places Bishop Lagho within one of the key administrative arms of the Roman Curia, which assists the Pope in overseeing global Church affairs.
Before his appointment to the Vatican, Bishop Lagho served as Chairperson of the Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue and Ecumenism at the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB). His new role is expected to strengthen Kenya’s voice in the Church’s global interfaith dialogue efforts.
