Nairobi (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo, Archbishop
David Kamau Ng’ang’a, Auxiliary Bishop
John Njue, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 25 March 1953
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Kenya
Square Kilometers: 3,721 (1,437 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://archdioceseofnairobi.org
Mailing Address: Archbishop's House, P.O. Box 14231, 00800 Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: (020)4950.000

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Zanguebar
- Erected: 26 February 1860
- Country: Kenya
Vicariate Apostolic of Zanguebar
- Elevated: 23 November 1883
- Vicariate
- Country: Kenya
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Zanguebar
- Split: 16 November 1887
- Vicariate
- Country: Kenya
Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar
- Latin Name: Zansibariensis
- Name Changed: 21 December 1906
- Vicariate
- Country: Kenya

Past and Present Ordinaries

Antoine Horner, C.S.Sp. † ( 1868 Appointed - 1877 Resigned)
Étienne (Edmond Martin) Baur, C.S.Sp. † ( 1871 Appointed - 1883 Resigned)
Jean-Marie-Raoul Le Bas de Courmont, C.S.Sp. † (23 Nov 1883 Appointed - 27 Nov 1896 Resigned)
Émile Augustin Allgeyer, C.S.Sp. † (17 Feb 1897 Appointed - 3 Apr 1913 Resigned)
John Gerald Neville, C.S.Sp. † (1 Sep 1913 Appointed - 8 Mar 1930 Resigned)
John William Heffernan, C.S.Sp. † (15 Mar 1932 Appointed - 7 Jun 1945 Resigned)
John Joseph McCarthy, C.S.Sp. † (11 Jul 1946 Appointed - 24 Oct 1971 Retired)
Maurice Michael Otunga † (24 Oct 1971 Succeeded - 21 Apr 1997 Retired)
Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana’a Nzeki † (21 Apr 1997 Succeeded - 6 Oct 2007 Retired)
John Njue (6 Oct 2007 Appointed - 4 Jan 2021 Retired)
Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo (28 Oct 2021 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Zanguebar
26 February 1860	Erected	Diocese of Saint-Denis-de-La Réunion	Prefecture Apostolic of Zanguebar (erected) ((or 12 Nov 1862))
Vicariate Apostolic of Zanguebar
23 November 1883	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Zanguebar	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanguebar
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Zanguebar
16 November 1887	Split	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanguebar	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Zanguebar Prefecture Apostolic of Southern Zanguebar {Zanguebar Meridionale}
21 January 1904	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Zanguebar	Prefecture Apostolic of Benadir (erected)
14 September 1905	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Zanguebar	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Kenya (erected)
11 May 1906	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Zanguebar	Vicariate Apostolic of Central Zanguebar {Zanguebar Centrale} (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar
21 December 1906	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Zanguebar	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar
20 February 1922	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar	Vicariate Apostolic of Kenya (Boundaries adjusted)
24 May 1929	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar (Oltre Giuba)	Vicariate Apostolic of Mogadiscio
3 January 1931	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar (Laikipia)	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyeri
3 January 1931	Territory Added	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyeri (Limuru)	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar
Archdiocese of Nairobi
25 March 1953	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar	Archdiocese of Nairobi
8 May 1955	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Nairobi (Coast, and the Islands of Zanziabr and Pemba)	Diocese of Mombasa e Zanzibar (erected)
20 February 1956	Territory Lost	Diocese of Meru Archdiocese of Nairobi	Prefecture Apostolic of Kitui (erected) (Kitui)
20 October 1959	Territory Lost	Diocese of Kisumu (Narok) Archdiocese of Nairobi (Kajiado)	Prefecture Apostolic of Ngong (erected)
25 October 1967	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Nairobi (Taita)	Diocese of Mombasa
25 October 1967	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Nairobi (Garissa)	Diocese of Meru
11 January 1968	Territory Lost	Diocese of Eldoret Diocese of Kisumu Archdiocese of Nairobi	Diocese of Nakuru (erected) (Districts of Nakuru and Kericho)
29 May 1969	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Nairobi (Machakos)	Diocese of Machakos (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar

1949 54,601 1,238,093 4.4% 83 83 657 83 120 ap1951

Archdiocese of Nairobi

1970 174,806 780,000 22.4% 13 89 102 1,713 103 319 43 ap1971

1980 423,315 1,582,421 26.8% 34 145 179 2,364 342 388 40 ap1981

1990 695,330 2,472,000 28.1% 63 215 278 2,501 581 596 58 ap1991

1999 1,007,150 4,000,936 25.2% 136 482 618 1,629 1,483 1,108 71 ap2000

2000 1,008,500 4,001,900 25.2% 142 482 624 1,616 1,402 1,129 76 ap2001

2001 1,009,200 4,002,600 25.2% 145 482 627 1,609 1,251 1,161 77 ap2002

2002 1,010,200 4,006,100 25.2% 148 513 661 1,528 1,373 1,179 79 ap2003

2003 1,218,100 4,010,100 30.4% 174 368 542 2,247 1,261 1,019 87 ap2004

2004 1,228,100 4,020,100 30.5% 104 374 478 2,569 1,290 1,034 90 ap2005

2013 2,911,099 4,687,481 62.1% 166 421 587 4,959 1,340 1,384 105 ap2014

2016 2,995,277 5,364,541 55.8% 178 460 638 4,694 1,329 1,792 110 ap2017

2019 3,829,700 7,437,000 51.5% 190 525 715 5,356 1,634 3,151 114 ap2020

2021 3,478,135 7,152,735 48.6% 199 900 1,099 3,164 2,022 3,350 114 ap2022

2023 3,680,860 7,569,627 48.6% 200 970 1,170 3,146 1,833 3,400 117 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar
1949	54,601	1,238,093	4.4%		83	83	657	83	120		ap1951
Archdiocese of Nairobi
1970	174,806	780,000	22.4%	13	89	102	1,713	103	319	43	ap1971
1980	423,315	1,582,421	26.8%	34	145	179	2,364	342	388	40	ap1981
1990	695,330	2,472,000	28.1%	63	215	278	2,501	581	596	58	ap1991
1999	1,007,150	4,000,936	25.2%	136	482	618	1,629	1,483	1,108	71	ap2000
2000	1,008,500	4,001,900	25.2%	142	482	624	1,616	1,402	1,129	76	ap2001
2001	1,009,200	4,002,600	25.2%	145	482	627	1,609	1,251	1,161	77	ap2002
2002	1,010,200	4,006,100	25.2%	148	513	661	1,528	1,373	1,179	79	ap2003
2003	1,218,100	4,010,100	30.4%	174	368	542	2,247	1,261	1,019	87	ap2004
2004	1,228,100	4,020,100	30.5%	104	374	478	2,569	1,290	1,034	90	ap2005
2013	2,911,099	4,687,481	62.1%	166	421	587	4,959	1,340	1,384	105	ap2014
2016	2,995,277	5,364,541	55.8%	178	460	638	4,694	1,329	1,792	110	ap2017
2019	3,829,700	7,437,000	51.5%	190	525	715	5,356	1,634	3,151	114	ap2020
2021	3,478,135	7,152,735	48.6%	199	900	1,099	3,164	2,022	3,350	114	ap2022
2023	3,680,860	7,569,627	48.6%	200	970	1,170	3,146	1,833	3,400	117	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Émile Augustin Allgeyer, C.S.Sp. † (Vicar Apostolic: 17 Feb 1897 to 3 Apr 1913)
Étienne (Edmond Martin) Baur, C.S.Sp. † (Superior: 1871; Prefect: 1880 to 1883)
John William Heffernan, C.S.Sp. † (Vicar Apostolic: 15 Mar 1932 to 7 Jun 1945)
Antoine Horner, C.S.Sp. † (Prefect: 1868 to 1877)
Jean-Marie-Raoul Le Bas de Courmont, C.S.Sp. † (Vicar Apostolic: 23 Nov 1883 to 27 Nov 1896)
John Joseph McCarthy, C.S.Sp. † (Vicar Apostolic: 11 Jul 1946; Archbishop: 25 Mar 1953 to 24 Oct 1971)
Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana’a Nzeki † (Priest: 31 Jan 1961 to 29 May 1969; Coadjutor Archbishop: 14 Jun 1996; Archbishop: 21 Apr 1997 to 6 Oct 2007)
John Gerald Neville, C.S.Sp. † (Vicar Apostolic: 1 Sep 1913 to 8 Mar 1930)
John Joseph Njenga † (Priest: 17 Feb 1957 to 19 Oct 1970)
Maurice Michael Otunga † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 15 Nov 1969; Archbishop: 24 Oct 1971 to 21 Apr 1997)
Anthony Pascal Rebello, S.V.D. †

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Zanzibar
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 23, Page 370, and Page 371
Archdiocese of Nairobi
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 45, Page 705, to Page 710

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Archdiocese of Nairobi

Archidioecesis Nairobiensis