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Pope Francis has appointed Fr Hironimus Joya as the new bishop of Maralal Diocese.

Fr Joya, who until his new appointment has been pursuing his Doctoral Degree at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), takes over from long serving Bishop Virgilio Pante who served the diocese since 2001 until this year when he retired.

Bishop Joya, a member of the Order of Consolata Missionaries, has previously served as the Vice Regional Superior and Regional Superior of the Consolata Missionaries in Kenya and Uganda.

“I have the honour and pleasure to inform you that Pope Francis has appointed the Reverend Father Hieronimus Joya, IMC as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Maralal,” Archbishop Bert Van Megen, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan said in an official communication to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).

The news of Fr Joya’s appointment was officially published in L’Osservatore Romano in Rome on yesterday.

Born April 17, 1965 at Asinge location in Busia County, Fr Joya joined Consolata Seminary for his Philosophical Studies before joining Tangaza University College for his theology and thereafter ordained a priest on September 5, 1998.

The bishop-elect, who is an alumnus of St Peter’s Seminary, Mukumu in Kakamega, has worked at Loyangalana Parish, in the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit and  Consolata Seminary Langata.