Rev. Fr. John Mbinda was on Saturday ordained and installed as the new Bishop of Lodwar Catholic Diocese.
He becomes the fourth prelate to lead the Catholic church in the diocese.
He was ordained and installed by Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Bert Van Megen at Ekales Centre, Lodwar.
The ceremony was witnessed by more than 20 Catholic Bishops and other church leaders who attended the event graced by more than 10,000 people.
In early April, Pope Francis appointed Mbinda as bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar to succeed Bishop Dominic Kimengich who was appointed by the Pope to take charge of Eldoret diocese.
“Looking at what has happened to me today and seeing all of you gathered here, I can only say thank you God. He knows why he has chosen me among the better and holy priests." Bishop Mbinda said.
Mbinda believes his presence in Turkana will help address the long-running conflict between communities along the borders of Turkana, West Pokot and Baringo counties.
He said with the support of Pokot and Turkana elders, he will initiate dialogue meetings for peaceful coexistence.
“I know from the goodwill of the elders of Pokot and Turkana, the mother of great Njemps, Tugen and Samburu we can live a very joyful and wonderful peaceful community,” he said.
“I have worked and lived in West Pokot for six years. I still have great connections. I believe we can coexist peacefully,” he added.
Mbinda was born on May 5, 1973 in Kanzalu Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Machakos.
In 1993, he joined the congregation at Spiritan Missionary Seminary in Arusha, Tanzania, then Novitiate in 1996 after which he took his first religious vows in 1997 in Magamba, Tanzania.
In 1997, Mbinda proceeded to study theology at Tangaza University College, Nairobi.
After taking his final vows, he was ordained Deacon in 2001 and a priest on May 18, 2002.
As a new priest, he was posted to Kositei Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, where he worked for seven years.
He then left for Ireland to pursue a Masters degree in Development Studies.
Upon returning to Kenya in 2009, he was appointed parish priest of St Austin’s Parish in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi where he served for six years.
Mbinda was elected the provincial superior of the Spiritans for Kenya and South Sudan in January 2015 where he served for two terms until January 2021.
Later he left for the UK, where he also ministered at St Chad RC Church in South Norwood, Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark, from September 2021.
Mbinda's appointment letter as bishop was sent to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops by Archbishop Bert Van Megen.
Archbishop Megen said Mbinda was a good missionary and the Pope saw qualities that suited him to be the Bishop of Lodwar Catholic Diocese.
He further revealed that the Pope is expected to visit South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo between July 2-7 to strengthen the peace process.
"The aim of the trip is to strengthen the peace process following a spiritual retreat that the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Francis led at the Vatican in 2019,” he said.
Megen said South Sudan has been struggling since its independence and that's why the Pope and other church leaders are coming together to pray for peaceful coexistence.
“Imagine growing up in a country where it's known for civil war for 50 years? That’s why we have refugees here (Turkana). We need to conclude this so that people can go home and do their businesses, rejoin their families and live a normal life,” he said.
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