The Vatican, under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV, has accepted the resignation of Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru.
Bishop Kariuki was appointed in 2023 by Pope Francis as a bishop of the new Wote Diocese.
The reasons for his resignation were linked to health challenges that had affected him, making it difficult for him to carry out his episcopal responsibilities.
Resignation and Appointment of Apostolic Administrator
In 2024, Bishop Njiru fell seriously ill and suffered a stroke, which left him unable to speak and perform his duties.
On 25 March 2026, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV accepted Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru’s resignation from his role leading the Diocese of Wote.
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The official communication was conveyed by Archbishop Bert van Megen, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya, to Kenya’s bishops.
Following the resignation, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Rt. Rev. Simon Peter Kamomoe, Auxiliary Bishop of Wote, as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Wote to oversee the diocese’s pastoral and administrative functions during this period of transition.
Profile of the New Administrator Simon Peter Kamomoe
Rt. Rev. Simon Peter Kamomoe was born in 1962 and was ordained a priest in 1994 and has served in multiple pastoral assignments over the years.
Prior to his work in Wote, he also served as an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Nairobi, having been appointed by the Vatican in early 2024.
His transfer to the Diocese of Wote as Auxiliary Bishop occurred in July 2025, shortly before the recent leadership changes.
In his various roles, Bishop Kamomoe has been involved in evangelization, youth outreach, and church leadership.
Creation of the Diocese and Bishop Njiru’s Leadership
The Diocese of Wote is Kenya’s newest Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction, established by the Vatican on 22 July 2023.
The diocese was created out of the larger Diocese of Machakos to better serve the Catholic faithful in Makueni County.
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It became a suffragan diocese within the Ecclesiastical Province of Nairobi.
At its creation, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru as the first bishop of the new diocese.
Bishop Njiru, previously served as Bishop of Embu, was installed later that year to lead the fledgling diocese.
Under his leadership, the Diocese of Wote began establishing parishes and ministries, aiming to provide spiritual care and administrative services to Catholics across Makueni.
The diocese covers an area of about 8,000 square kilometers, with tens of thousands of Catholics spread across urban and rural communities.
