Rousing welcome for Bishop Mbinda ahead of his ordination today

Newly appointed Bishop of Lodwar Catholic Diocese Rev. Fr John Mbinda, centre, at Kainuk trading centre along West Pokot -Turkana borders. [Mike Ekutan, Standard]

Newly-appointed Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar Rev Fr John Mbinda was accorded a grand reception ahead of his ordination in Turkana County today.

Joyful faithful received the new Bishop as he made entry to the county at Kainuk town, on the border of West Pokot and Turkana counties yesterday.

Ecstatic Catholic faithful and hundreds of residents who were joined by Eldoret Diocese Bishop Dominic Kimengich and Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba of Kisumu received the new prelate and joined in a walk and praise singing for several kilometers marking a warm welcome.

Expectations are high after a long wait for the new Bishop who was appointed in April this year by Pope Francis.

The Catholic diocese has been without a substantive Bishop for two years after the then Lodwar Bishop, Kimengich, was moved by the Pope to Eldoret following the death of Bishop Cornelius Korir in 2017.

Kimengich had remained an apostolic administrator for Lodwar Diocese for two years awaiting appointment of the new Bishop.

Yesterday, Lodwar town was getting ready for today’s elaborate ordination ceremony led by Archbishop of Nairobi, Philip Anyolo.

Expectations among the faithful was rife in Turkana where the Catholic Church has been on the forefront in resolving insecurity challenges and mobilising relief food for vulnerable families.

The late Bishop Korir and Kimengich played crucial roles in restoring peace along volatile borders with Baringo and West Pokot counties.

Faithful in the county felt the absence of a substantive Bishop of Lodwar, the passing on of Korir and Kimengich’s transfer to Eldoret, slowed peace efforts in Turkana and neighbouring counties.

Mbinda was officially appointed Bishop of Lodwar on April 4, 2022. The Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Bert Van Megen sent an official communication to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) communicating his appointment.

“We are hopeful that our new Bishop will be a source of blessings. We are looking forward to peace in abundance,” a Catholic faithful Zipporah Nappo said.

Until his appointment, Mbinda was working as an Assistant Parish Priest of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Parish, and currently assisting at St Edward Parish in Chiswick, Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster Archdiocese in the United Kingdom.

He was born on May 5, 1973 in Kanzalu Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Machakos. Yesterday, Bishop Mbinda made a stop over at Christ The King Lokichar Parish where he addressed residents.

“Thank you very much for a such a loving reception. I have been eagerly looking forward to getting here. I am ready to work and preach the word of God for better service to humanity,” said Mbinda who urged neighbouring communities to coexist and live harmoniously.

He advocated for dialogue in addressing issues, adding that the church will advocate for afforestation programmes in the region to mitigate climate change effects and enhance food security.

Mbinda becomes the fourth Bishop of Lodwar after his ordination today. Kimengich served between March 2011 and November 2019, Patrick Harrington between February 2000 and March 2011, while the first Bishop John Christopher Mahon served for the longest period between 1968 and February 2000.