Mombasa is the oldest Kenyan diocese; it was erected from the Diocese of Eastern Equatorial Africa (which at that point covered all Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika)[2] in 1898. Following the addition of the territory around Kavirondo (approximately the territory of the 1961 Maseno diocese) in 1921 and the splitting of its area of northern Tanganyika in 1972, the Diocese of Mombasa comprised (only) all Kenya.[3]
Founded from Mombasa diocese in 1964, the Nairobi diocese was the See of the Archbishop of Kenya from the independence of the Kenyan church in 1970 until the independent All Saints' Cathedral diocese took that role in 2002. The Diocese has been split three times: to erect Machakos diocese in 1985, the Diocese of Kajiado in 1993 and All Saints' Cathedral diocese in 2002.[8] Until 2002, Nairobi diocese's cathedral was All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi; since that cathedral became the seat of the new All Saints' Cathedral diocese, St Stephen's Cathedral, Nairobi, has served as the new cathedral.[9]
The Diocese of Machakos was erected from Nairobi diocese in 1985 and was itself split to create Kitui diocese in 1995,[11] Garissa in 2007 and Makueni in 2013.[12] Since 1992, the cathedral has been All Souls' Cathedral, Machakos.[13]
Bishops of Machakos
1985–1995: Benjamin Nzimbi[14] (afterwards first Bishop of Kitui, then Primate—Archbishop)
On 1 July 1993, the Diocese of Taita–Taveta — named for Taita–Taveta County — was carved from the then very large Mombasa diocese.[15] The diocese has not been split; it has a pro-cathedral at Voi, the county's largest town (though not its capital).
The Diocese of Kitui was erected from Machakos diocese on 1 April 1995 and covers the former Kitui and Mwingi Districts[20] — that is, the present Kitui County.
Bishops of Kitui
1995–2002: Benjamin Nzimbi (previously first Bishop of Machakos, afterwards Primate—Archbishop)
From 1964 until 2002, the Archbishop of Kenya had their See at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi as ex officio Bishop of Nairobi (diocesan bishop of the above Diocese of Nairobi). From 2000, the ACK Provincial Synod and Nairobi diocese entered formal discussions to create a new arrangement for the archbishop's See; a very small new diocese was carved from Nairobi diocese, around All Saints' Cathedral itself. The remaining Nairobi diocese now elects her own bishop, who is not the archbishop; while the new See — very unusually, not named for a place or area but for its own cathedral — of All Saints' Cathedral is held ex officio by the Primate and Archbishop of All Kenya.[21] The diocese has two archdeaconries[22] and twelve parishes.[23] As the archbishop's diocese, the bishops in charge of Missionary Areas (i.e. proto-dioceses) are consecrated suffragans in this diocese (regardless of the diocese which their territory belongs to) until their own diocesan See's erection.[24]
Bishops of All Saints' Cathedral, Primates and Archbishops of All Kenya
Garissa diocese was created from territory of Machakos diocese in 2007. Also called a missionary area,[26] Mutisya is or was a suffragan of the archbishop, in All Saints' Cathedral diocese.[27] The first and so far only Bishop of Garissa, since 2007, is David Mutisya.
In November 2009, the Anglican Chaplaincy to the Kenyan Armed Forces was raised into a diocese (ordinariate). It is headquartered at the Garrison Church of St Paul at Kahawa Barracks outside Nairobi.[28]
Bishops for the Armed Forces
From 2007, Simiyu was the first and only Bishop suffragan to the Armed Forces (presumably suffragan to the Primate possibly to the Bishop of Nairobi).
The Diocese of Makueni was erected from Machakos diocese in 2013, and Joseph Kanuku, Bishop of Machakos, moved to the new See, becoming first Bishop of Makueni.
Bishops of Makueni
2013–2016: Joseph Kanuku (previously Bishop of Machakos)
Malindi diocese was erected from the Diocese of Mombasa in 2015. The first bishop, since 2015,[29] is Lawrence Dena,[30] previously assistant bishop of Mombasa, and former Provincial Secretary. The diocesan pro-cathedral is St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Malindi.[31]
