Mombasa

ACK Diocese of Mombasa

A great part of the history of the Anglican Church in Kenya coincides with the history of the Diocese of Mombasa founded in 1899.  This was the starting point of the development of the church in the territory which came to be called Kenya. Previously, the areas had been part of the Diocese of Equatorial Africa and earlier still the coast missions had been under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Mauritius. From 1899 the Diocese covered part of Tanganyika (German East Africa) and what was then the East African Protectorate, which, up to 1925, included the area called Jubaland, now part of Somalia. When in 1902 the Eastern Province of present-day Uganda was ceded to the Protectorate, the thriving church in Kavirondo remained under the Diocese of Uganda. This position continued until 1920, when it was decided to define the Dioceses of Mombasa and Uganda according to national boundaries. So at this time the records show a great increase in the number of baptisms, communicants and staff in the Diocese. For purposes of this history we have drawn on memories and records of the church in Nyanza and Western province as an integral part of the history of the ACK. The Tanganyika part of the Diocese separated off in 1927.

The Diocese of Mombasa was subject to Canterbury until the formation of the Church of the Province of East Africa in May 1960. There had been earlier proposals for an East African Province but there had been unanimous and informed objections from African Christians. Missionaries expressed surprise at the consistency of the opposition. Just as “Closer Union” proposals for East Africa and the later actual Federation of Central African colonies, threatened to consolidate white power in political terms, so it was feared that a local church, cut off from the wider sympathies of Canterbury, would be dominated by White interests. The Province became acceptable only after the Consecration of four African Bishops, one from Sudan and one from Tanganyika and two from Kenya in Kampala in 1955, and the increasingly confident preparations for political independence in each of the East African countries.

 

The first three Bishops of Mombasa

Bishop Reginald Crabbe retired in 1953. The Rt. Rev. LJ, Beecher then became Bishop. It was Bishop Beecher’s practice to memorize the words for receiving confirmation candidates into the church in all local languages and use them according to the name presented to him by the candidate. This must have given great joy and intimacy to the service for the candidate and his close family. Perhaps in contemporary Kenya the name would not be so specifically a guide. In spite of our ethnic tensions, a new synthesis has been achieved. But this says something about the man who was, in 1960, to become the first (and only) Archbishop of the Province of East Africa, comprising the Diocese of Mombasa and the various Dioceses, representing different Anglican traditions, of Tanganyika. At the same time Uganda became a separate province.

By 1 May 1957 the Rt. Rev. Obadiah Kariuki in Central and Eastern Kenya and the Rt. Rev. Festo Olang’ in Western Kenya had moved from being Assistant Bishops in the Diocese of Mombasa to being Suffragan Bishops responsible for their own areas.

Even so, the work of the Diocese was now too heavy for three Bishops to support it within the given structure. It was decided to reduce the area of the Diocese of Mombasa by creating three new Dioceses; Maseno, Nakuru and Fort Hall. This decision took effect in 1961. Then in 1964, Nairobi, since Bishop Heywood’s time at the headquarters of the Diocese of Mombasa, also separated. The Most Rev. Leonard Beecher, Archbishop of the Province of East Africa, became Bishop of Nairobi, then a much larger Diocese. The former Archdeacon Peter Mwang’ombe was consecrated and installed as Bishop of Mombasa on 12 June 1964. Since the Mombasa Memorial Cathedral and church offices already existed, the transition was smoother than in some other areas. Bishop Mwang’ombe remained in office till his retirement, and acted as Dean of the Province during the archiepiscopal election in 1979. The Rt. Rev. Crispus Nzano became his Bishop Coadjutor in 1980 and succeeded him as Bishop. He continued in office till he retired at the end of 1993. The Rt. Rev. Julius Kalu was consecrated on 2 January 1994 and became the seventh Bishop of. Mombasa.  In 2005, The Rt. Rev. Lawrance Dena was appointed assistant Bishop. He served until 24th of April 2015 after which he was elected the first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Malindi. The Rt. Rev. Julius Kalu, retired 17th of December 2017 and was succeeded by the Rt. Rev. Alphonse Baya Mwaro.  He was consecrated on 7th January 2018.

On 1st July 1993, the Diocese of Mombasa was subdivided to two Dioceses, the Diocese of Mombasa and the Diocese of Taita Taveta.  On 1st January, 2015 a further sub division was done to create room for the Diocese Malindi.

Archdeaconries:

• Island Archdeaconry
• Changamwe Archdeaconry
• Kaloleni Archdeaconry
• Kisauni Archdeaconry
• Mariakani Archdeaconry
• Matuga Archdeaconry
• Rabai Archdeaconry
• Shanzu Archdeaconry
• Shimba Hills Archdeaconry