Pope Leo XIV has officially established the Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet, making it the 28th Catholic diocese in Kenya, and named its first bishop.
In the announcement made on Thursday, July 10, by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Catholic Justice and Peace Department, Rt. Rev. John Kiplimo Lelei was appointed as the first bishop of the new diocese by the Catholic Pontiff.
The Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet will cover the entire Nandi County and has been carved out of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, making it a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kisumu.
Bishop Lelei is currently serving as the Auxiliary Bishop of Eldoret, and the Pontiff simultaneously released him from the titular See of Mount Numidia following the new appointment.
Born on August 15, 1958, in Soy within the Eldoret Diocese, he was ordained a priest on October 26, 1985.
Profile of the new Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet bishop
The cleric studied philosophy at St. Augustine’s Senior Seminary in Mabanga and theology at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi.
Bishop Lelei also holds a Doctorate in Theology with a specialisation in Liturgy from the University of Vienna.
The new Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet bishop has served in various pastoral and academic capacities, including as parish priest in several parishes such as Yamumbi, Chepterit, and Kapcherop.
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He was also the Rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi from 2017 to 2023 and served as a lecturer and rector at the St. Matthias Mulumba Senior Seminary in Tindinyo.
Bishop Lelei was the Vicar General of the Diocese of Eldoret before he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Eldoret in March 2024 and consecrated and installed in May that year.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang is among the leaders who have congratulated the new Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet bishop following his appointment by Pope Leo XIV.
According to Governor Sang, the establishment of the Diocese reflects the growing number of faithful and the Church’s commitment to deepening its pastoral mission.
“Congratulations to Auxiliary Bishop Rt. Rev. John Kiplimo Lelei on his appointment as the first Bishop of the newly created Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet. This marks a significant milestone in the growth and development of the Catholic Church in the region,” Nandi Governor Stephen Sang said.
“We warmly welcome Bishop Lelei to his new role and pray for God’s guidance and blessings as he shepherds the faithful with wisdom, humility, and devotion. His deep spiritual insight and strong commitment to service will no doubt enrich the spiritual lives of many and strengthen the Church’s presence in our region.”
Pope Leo XIV makes appointments
Bishop Lelei will be installed as the Bishop of Kapsabet on August 30, 2025.
His appointment notably comes days after Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Simon Peter Kamomoe as the new Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Wote.
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Bishop Kamomoe was serving as Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nairobi until his appointment.
In a statement, the Archdiocese of Nairobi said that the new appointment places him alongside Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru in leading the young Wote Diocese, which was established by the late Pope Francis on July 22, 2023.
Also, Pope Leo XIV had last week appointed Rt. Rev. Willybard Lagho, Bishop of Malindi, to the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue (DID).
The DID promotes and supervises relations with members and groups of non-Christian religions, except Judaism, according to the Holy See.
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