Anglican dioceses of Mombasa


The Anglican dioceses of Mombasa are the Anglican presence in and around Mombasa and south-east Kenya; they are part of the Anglican Church of Kenya. The remaining dioceses of the Church are in the areas of Maseno, of Mount Kenya, and of Nakuru.

Diocese of Mombasa

is the oldest Kenyan diocese; it was erected from the Diocese of Eastern Equatorial Africa in 1898. Following the addition of the territory around Kavirondo in 1921 and the splitting of its area of northern Tanganyika in 1972, the Diocese of Mombasa comprised all Kenya.

Bishops of Mombasa

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. 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.

Bishops of Nairobi, Archbishops of Kenya

The Diocese of Machakos was erected from Nairobi diocese in 1985 and was itself split to create Kitui diocese in 1995, Garissa in 2007 and Makueni in 2013. Since 1992, the cathedral has been All Souls' Cathedral, Machakos.

Bishops of Machakos

On 1 July 1993, the Diocese of Taita–Taveta — named for Taita–Taveta County — was carved from the then very large Mombasa diocese. The diocese has not been split; it has a pro-cathedral at Voi, the county's largest town.

Bishops of Taita–Taveta

Formed from Nairobi diocese in 1993, the Diocese of Kajiado now has a pro-cathedral at Emmanuel Pro-Cathedral, Kajiado.

Bishops of Kajiado

The Diocese of Kitui was erected from Machakos diocese on 1 April 1995 and covers the former Kitui and Mwingi Districts — that is, the present Kitui County.

Bishops of Kitui

  • 1995–2002: Benjamin Nzimbi
  • 2002–present: Josephat Mule

    All Saints' Cathedral Diocese

From 1964 until 2002, the Archbishop of Kenya had their See at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi as ex officio Bishop 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. The diocese has two archdeaconries and twelve parishes. As the archbishop's diocese, the bishops in charge of Missionary Areas are consecrated suffragans in this diocese until their own diocesan See's erection.

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, Mutisya is or was a suffragan of the archbishop, in All Saints' Cathedral diocese. The first and so far only Bishop of Garissa, since 2007, is David Mutisya.

Military Episcopate

In November 2009, the Anglican Chaplaincy to the Kenyan Armed Forces was raised into a diocese. It is headquartered at the Garrison Church of St Paul at Kahawa Barracks outside Nairobi.

Bishops for the Armed Forces

From 2007, Simiyu was the first and only Bishop suffragan to the Armed Forces.
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
  • 2016–present: Francis Matui

    Diocese of Malindi

Malindi diocese was erected from the Diocese of Mombasa in 2015. The first bishop, since 2015, is Lawrence Dena, previously assistant bishop of Mombasa, and former Provincial Secretary. The diocesan pro-cathedral is St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Malindi.