Pope Leo XIV has appointed Reverend Father Joseph Onyango Odour, O.S.A., as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kisii.
The appointment was announced on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 2.00 p.m. Kenyan time (12 noon in Rome), following communication from the Apostolic Nunciature in Kenya to the country’s Catholic Archbishops and Bishops.
Bishop-elect Monsignor Onyango, a member of the Order of St Augustine (O.S.A.), brings extensive pastoral experience, academic qualifications and leadership experience within the Augustinian religious community to his new role.
Born on May 2, 1977, Onyango began his education at St Mary’s Ukwala Primary School, where he studied between 1984 and 1993, before proceeding to secondary school from 1994 to 1997.
He joined the Order of St Augustine in Kenya in 1998 and pursued philosophical studies at the Consolata Philosophical Institute between 1998 and 2001. He later completed his novitiate in Jos, Nigeria, making his first profession on August 28, 2002.
He subsequently studied theology at Tangaza University College in Nairobi from 2002 to 2006, making his solemn profession on October 1, 2005. He was ordained a priest on November 4, 2006.
In 2012 and 2013, he furthered his academic formation by obtaining a Licentiate in Philosophy from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi.
Pastoral Ministry and Leadership
Following his ordination, Fr Onyango served as Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart Parish, Babadogo, Nairobi, from 2006 to 2009 before becoming the parish priest, a position he held until 2011.
Between 2012 and 2019, he served as Prior and Formator at the International House of Formation of the Augustinian Theologicum in Nairobi, where he was involved in the formation of candidates preparing for religious life and priesthood.
Since 2020, he has been serving as Parish Priest of St Monica Parish, Nyamasaria, in the Archdiocese of Kisumu. He also served as Dean of the Kisumu Deanery between 2021 and 2024.
In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Fr Onyango has served as Custodian of the Augustinian Vicariate in Kenya since 2015. He was also appointed a member of the College of Consultors of the Diocese of Kisumu in 2024.
His appointment as Coadjutor Bishop places him in a key position in the pastoral leadership of the Diocese of Kisii.
Under Catholic Church law, a Coadjutor Bishop assists the Diocesan Bishop in the governance and pastoral administration of the diocese and has the right of succession, meaning he automatically succeeds the diocesan bishop when the latter’s office becomes vacant.
The appointment marks a significant development for the Catholic Diocese of Kisii, as Bishop-elect Onyango prepares to take on the responsibilities of episcopal ministry and service to the faithful.
The faithful have been called upon to accompany him with prayers as he prepares for his new mission in the Catholic Church.
