ELDORET, Kenya: The Catholic Church in Kenya has undergone a significant administrative restructuring following Pope Leo XIV's decision to elevate the Diocese of Eldoret to the status of a Metropolitan Archdiocese and establish a new Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret.

The development brings together five Catholic jurisdictions under the new province, including the Diocese of Lodwar, which serves the Catholic faithful in Turkana County.

The changes also mark the end of Eldoret's position as a suffragan diocese under the Metropolitan Province of Kisumu, giving it a new leadership and administrative role within the Catholic Church in Kenya.

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But what exactly does this restructuring mean, and how does it affect the organisation of the Church?

Here is a breakdown of the new structure.

1. What has happened to the Diocese of Eldoret?

Pope Leo XIV has elevated the Diocese of Eldoret to the status of an Archdiocese and established the new Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret.

Previously, Eldoret was a suffragan diocese under the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kisumu.

Following the changes, Eldoret now becomes a Metropolitan Archdiocese in its own right, serving as the principal Church jurisdiction within the newly established province.

This means that Eldoret will no longer fall under the Metropolitan Province of Kisumu.

2. What is a Metropolitan Archdiocese?

A Metropolitan Archdiocese is an Archdiocese designated as the principal see of an Ecclesiastical Province.

The Archbishop who heads it is known as the Metropolitan Archbishop.

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Eldoret therefore has two related responsibilities.

First, he serves as the Archbishop and Local Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Eldoret, overseeing its pastoral and administrative affairs.

Second, he serves as the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret, which comprises the Archdiocese and its four suffragan dioceses.

An important distinction is that the Metropolitan Archbishop does not automatically become the bishop of all dioceses within the province.

Each suffragan diocese retains its own diocesan bishop, who remains responsible for its ordinary governance.

The Metropolitan's responsibilities towards the suffragan dioceses are limited to those provided for under Canon Law, particularly Canons 435 and 436.

3. Who is the first Archbishop of Eldoret?

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe, formerly the Bishop of Kakamega, as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Eldoret.

His appointment places him at the head of the newly established Metropolitan Province.

Following his transfer, the Diocese of Kakamega becomes sede vacante, a Latin expression meaning that the episcopal see is vacant.

This means Kakamega is awaiting the appointment of a new diocesan bishop by the Holy Father.

4. Which dioceses make up the new Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret?

The new Ecclesiastical Province comprises five particular Churches:

1. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Eldoret.

2. Diocese of Kapsabet.

3. Diocese of Kitale.

4. Diocese of Lodwar.

5. Diocese of Kericho.

The Archdiocese of Eldoret serves as the Metropolitan See, while the other four dioceses are its suffragan sees.

Together, they form the new Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret.

For Turkana County, the inclusion of the Diocese of Lodwar is particularly significant because it places the local Catholic Church within this newly established metropolitan structure.

5. Where did these dioceses come from?

The new province brings together Church jurisdictions that previously belonged to two different Metropolitan Provinces.

Before the restructuring:

• The Diocese of Eldoret, together with the Dioceses of Kapsabet, Kitale and Lodwar, belonged to the Ecclesiastical Province of Kisumu.

• The Diocese of Kericho belonged to the Ecclesiastical Province of Nairobi.

Following the establishment of the new province, these jurisdictions have been brought together under the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Eldoret.

This creates a new administrative arrangement for the Catholic Church in western and north-western Kenya.

6. How many Metropolitan Archdioceses does Kenya now have?

Following the elevation of Eldoret, Kenya now has five Metropolitan Archdioceses, each heading its own Ecclesiastical Province.

They are:

1. Archdiocese of Nairobi – Metropolitan Archbishop Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo.

2. Archdiocese of Mombasa – Metropolitan Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde.

3. Archdiocese of Kisumu – Metropolitan Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba.

4. Archdiocese of Nyeri – Metropolitan Archbishop Anthony Muheria.

5. Archdiocese of Eldoret – Metropolitan Archbishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe.

The restructuring increases the number of Metropolitan Provinces in Kenya from four to five.

7. How are the five Ecclesiastical Provinces organised?

The Catholic Church in Kenya is now organised into five Metropolitan Provinces, each comprising a Metropolitan Archdiocese and its respective suffragan dioceses.

A. Ecclesiastical Province of Nairobi

Metropolitan See:

• Archdiocese of Nairobi.

Suffragan Sees:

1. Diocese of Wote.

2. Diocese of Kitui.

3. Diocese of Machakos.

4. Diocese of Nakuru.

5. Diocese of Ngong.

6. Military Ordinariate.

B. Ecclesiastical Province of Mombasa

Metropolitan See:

• Archdiocese of Mombasa.

Suffragan Sees:

1. Diocese of Garissa.

2. Diocese of Malindi.

C. Ecclesiastical Province of Kisumu

Metropolitan See:

• Archdiocese of Kisumu.

Suffragan Sees:

1. Diocese of Bungoma.

2. Diocese of Homa Bay.

3. Diocese of Kakamega.

4. Diocese of Kisii.

D. Ecclesiastical Province of Nyeri

Metropolitan See:

• Archdiocese of Nyeri.

Suffragan Sees:

1. Diocese of Embu.

2. Diocese of Isiolo.

3. Diocese of Maralal.

4. Diocese of Marsabit.

5. Diocese of Meru.

6. Diocese of Murang'a.

7. Diocese of Nyahururu.

E. Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret

Metropolitan See:

• Archdiocese of Eldoret.

Suffragan Sees:

1. Diocese of Kapsabet.

2. Diocese of Kericho.

3. Diocese of Kitale.

4. Diocese of Lodwar.

8. What does the new structure mean for the Catholic Church in Kenya?

The restructuring is an important development in the organisation and pastoral administration of the Catholic Church in Kenya.

Although the Catholic Church remains one, it is organised into different ecclesiastical jurisdictions to support effective pastoral leadership, administration and evangelisation.

A diocese is headed by a diocesan bishop, while an Archdiocese is headed by an Archbishop.

Where an Archdiocese is designated as the Metropolitan See, its Archbishop also assumes the role of Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province.

The establishment of the Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret therefore creates a new metropolitan centre, brings the Diocese of Lodwar under its jurisdiction and increases the number of Metropolitan Archdioceses in Kenya to five.

For Catholic faithful in Turkana, the development marks a new chapter in the Church's administrative organisation, with Lodwar now forming part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Eldoret.