Joseph Obanyi Sagwe


Joseph Obanyi Sagwe is a Roman Catholic prelate in Kenya who is the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kakamega. He was appointed bishop by Pope Francis on 5 December 2014.

Early life and education

He was born in 1967 in Kebirigo Village, Nyamira County, in the Archdiocese of Kisumu. He grew up in Nyakemicha Village in Nyamira County, and was raised by staunch Catholic parents; John Sagwe Obanyi and Theresa Kwamboka, both deceased. He is the third born in a family of four siblings. He grew up in a family of modest means.
He attended Nyakemicha Primary School before transferring to Ibara Primary School, where he obtained his Primary School Leaving Certificate. He attended St. John's Minor Seminary at Rwakaro in Migori County, where he obtained his O-Level Certificate. He went on to compete his A-Level education at the Mother of Apostles Seminary at Eldoret.
He studied philosophy and religious studies at St. Augustine Major Seminary at Mabanga, in Bungoma, obtaining a Bachelor's degree from there. He graduated with another BA in theology from St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Nairobi. Later he obtained a Master's degree and a Doctorate, both in Canon Law, awarded by the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, Italy.

Priesthood

He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kisii, Kenya on 25 October 1996. In 2004, upon his return to Kenya from postgraduate studies in Rome, Father Joseph Obanyi Sagwe was appointed the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Kisii. He served the entire 10 years of his priesthood in that capacity until 5 December 2014.

As bishop

On 5 December 2014, Pope Francis appointed him bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kakamega. He was consecrated as bishop on 7 March 2015 at Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega, in the Diocese of Kakamega. The Principal Consecrator was Bishop Philip Sulumeti, Bishop Emeritus of Kakamega assisted by Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth, Archbishop Emeritus of Kisumu and Bishop Joseph Mairura Okemwa, Bishop of Kisii. On 23 June 2018 Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese Bungoma, Kenya. That apostolic administratorship ceased on 19 February 2022.