Pope Francis appoints Philip Anyolo as Kisumu Archbishop

Right Reverend Philip Anyolo during a past event. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop of Homa Bay Philip Anyolo as Archbishop of Kisumu.

Archbishop-designate Anyolo, who is also the Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), will be taking over from Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth who is set to retire.

The appointment came barely a day after Archbishop Okoth celebrated 50 years in priesthood.

Archbishop Okoth has been serving as Archbishop of Kisumu since May 21, 1990.

“The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops has already been notified of the appointment,” said outgoing Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Charles Daniel Balvo in a statement.

The news of Bishop Anyolo’s appointment was officially published in L’Osservatore Romano in Rome Thursday.

Anyolo was born on May 18, 1956 in Tongaren, Bungoma and was ordained priest for the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret in 1983.

Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Kericho on December 6, 1995 and was consecrated as Bishop of Kericho on February 3, 1996.

On February 20, 2002, The Holy Father John Paul II appointed him as Apostolic Administrator of Homabay upon the resignation of Rt. Rev. Linus Okok Okwach.

He was appointed Bishop of Homabay on March 22, 2003 and installed as Bishop of Homabay on May 23, 2003.

He was elected chairman of KCCB in October 2013 and is currently serving his second term.