Diocese of

Eldoret

Kenya

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Eldoret / Eldoreten(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kisumu

Neighbouring Dioceses: Kapsabet (↙), Kakamega (←), Bungoma (↖), Kitale (↑), Nakuru (↘), Kericho (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1953.06.29: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Eldoret / Eldoreten(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Kisumu)
1959.10.13: Promoted as Diocese of Eldoret / Eldoreten(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Nairobi)
1968.01.11: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Nakuru and Apostolic Prefecture of Lodwar
1972.06.28: Lost territory to Diocese of Nakuru
1990.05.21: Became suffragan of Kisumu
1998.04.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Kitale
2025.07.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Kapsabet

Present Prelates

Bishop:	vacant
Apostolic Administrator (2026.04.25 – ...):	Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe (58) Bishop of Kakamega (Kenya)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Eldoret (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe (58)
(Apostolic Administrator 2026.04.25 – ...)

Bishop Dominic Kimengich (65) (later Archbishop)
(2019.11.16 – 2026.01.28)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Mombasa (Kenya)
Bishop emeritus of Eldoret (Kenya)

Serviamus Domino in lætitia

Born:	1961.04.23 (Kituro, Kenya)
Ordained Priest:	1986.09.14
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.05.22

Priest of Nakuru (Kenya) (1986.09.14 – 2010.03.20)

Titular Bishop of Tanaramusa (2010.03.20 – 2011.03.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lodwar (Kenya) (2010.03.20 – 2011.03.05)

Bishop of Lodwar (Kenya) (2011.03.05 – 2019.11.16)

Bishop of Eldoret (Kenya) (2019.11.16 – 2026.01.28)

Apostolic Administrator of Lodwar (Kenya) (2020.02.01 – 2022.04.04)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Mombasa (Kenya) (2026.01.28 – ...)

Bishop Cornelius Kipng’eno Arap Korir
(1990.04.02 – 2017.10.30)

Mkitendee Kaz? Chakula Kidumucho

Born:	1950.07.06 (Segutiet, Kenya)
Ordained Priest:	1982.11.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.06.02
Died:	2017.10.30 (Eldoret, Kenya † 67)

Bishop of Eldoret (Kenya) (1990.04.02 – 2017.10.30)

President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (2003.08 – 2006)

Bishop John Njenga (later Archbishop)
(1970.10.19 – 1988.10.25)

Born:	1928.12.25 (Tigoni, Kenya)
Ordained Priest:	1957.02.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.11.22
Died:	2018.11.04 (Nairobi, Kenya † 89)

Bishop of Eldoret (Kenya) (1970.10.19 – 1988.10.25)

President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (1976 – 1982)

Bishop of Mombasa (Kenya) (1988.10.25 – 1990.05.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mombasa (Kenya) (1990.05.21 – 2005.04.01)

Bishop Joseph Brendan Houlihan, S.P.S.
(1959.10.13 – 1970.10.19)

Born:	1911.09.25 (Ballyferriter, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1937.03.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.11.20
Died:	1975.12.02 (Awasi, Kenya † 64)

Prefect Apostolic of Eldoret (Kenya) (1954 – 1959.10.13)

Bishop of Eldoret (Kenya) (1959.10.13 – 1970.10.19)

Titular Bishop of Chunavia (1970.10.19 – 1971.04.24)

Prefects Apostolic of Eldoret (Roman Rite)

Fr. Joseph Brendan Houlihan, S.P.S. (later Bishop)
(1954 – 1959.10.13)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop John Kiplimo Lelei (67) (2024.03.27 – 2025.07.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Emile Njeru (1969.05.22 – 1970.09.05)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Eldoret, Uasin Gishu

Kapsabet (↙), Kakamega (←), Bungoma (↖), Kitale (↑), Nakuru (↘), Kericho (↓)

Statistics (2025)

Area: 6,366 km²

Population: 581,345 Catholics (35.9% of 1,619,666 total)

Pastoral Centres: 65 parishes

Personnel: 112 priests (92 diocesan, 20 religious), 8 deacons, 242 religious (31 brothers, 211 sisters), 55 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.05.11

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