Pope Francis appoints Very Rev. Fr. Cleophas Oseso Tuka as Bishop of Nakuru

Very Rev. Fr. Cleophas Oseso Tuka. Pope Francis has appointed him as Bishop of Nakuru. [Courtesy, CDN Communications]

Pope Francis has appointed Very Rev. Fr. Cleophas Oseso Tuka, as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.

The news of Fr. Oseso's appointment was officially published in L'Osservatore Romano in Rome on 15^th February 2023.

According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope has appointed the Reverend Cleophas Oseso Tuka, of the clergy of Nakuru, until now vicar general and parish priest of Saint Augustine in Bahati, as bishop of the diocese of Nakuru, Kenya.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Bert van Megen, also sent an official communication to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) communicating the same.

"I have the honour and pleasure to inform you that His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed the Reverend Father Cleophas Oseso Tuka, as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru. The Bishop-elect hails from the clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru," the Nuncio's letter reads in part.

Born on 26^th November 1967 in Naivasha, Fr. Cleophas was ordained priest on 24^th June 1995. He has been a priest for 27 years.

The Holy See Press Office has also published a biography of the Bishop-elect.

"He studied philosophy at Saint Augustine's Senior Seminary in Mabanga, and theology at the Saint Matthias Mulumba Senior Seminary of Tindinyo.

He was ordained a priest on 24 June 1995 for the diocese of Nakuru. He was subsequently awarded a master's degree in business administration from Le Moyne College, United States of America, and a doctorate in education from the Graduate Theological Foundation, United States of America," reads the bio.

The bishop-elect has also served abroad.

"He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Njoro (1995-1996); parish vicar of the Holy Cross parish (1996-1997); diocesan procurator (1998); diocesan bursar (1999-2003); deputy parish priest of Saint Ambrose, Endicott (2004), Holy Family and Saint Margaret, Syracuse (2004-2013) in the archdiocese of New York; parish priest of the Mary Mother of God parish in Kabarnet, diocese of Nakuru (2013-2018); since 2018, vicar general of the diocese of Nakuru and parish priest of Saint Augustine in Bahati," reads the bio.

Pope Francis has also elevated the apostolic vicariate of Isiolo and appointed its first bishop.

"The Holy Father has elevated the apostolic vicariate of Isiolo, Kenya, to a diocese, with the same denomination and territorial configuration, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Nyeri.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Anthony Ireri Mukobo, I.MC., until now titular bishop of Rusguniae and vicar apostolic of Isiolo, as first bishop of the diocese of Isiolo." Read the notice.