Vicar General of Kisumu Catholic Archdiocese in Kenya Appointed Auxiliary Bishop

Kisumu, 14 December, 2025 / 8:48 PM

Pope Leo XIV has appointed the Vicar General of Kisumu Catholic Archdiocese, Fr. Vincent Ouma Odundo, as Auxiliary Bishop of the same Metropolitan See.

In the appointment made public on Sunday, December 14, the Holy Father assigned Bishop-elect Odundo the Titular See of Giru Marcelli.

Until his Episcopal appointment, Bishop-elect Odundo also served as the Parish Priest of St. James the Apostle Magadi Parish Kisumu Archdiocese.

Born on 1 June 1978 in the Archdiocese Kisumu, the Bishop-elect studied philosophy at St. Augustine’s Mabanga National Seminary and theology at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi. He was ordained a priest in February 2008 for the Archdiocese of Kisumu.

Following his Priestly Ordination, Mons. Odundo served as Parish Vicar at St. Theresa’s Cathedral of Kisumu Archdiocese (2008–2009), Administrator of St. Augustine’s Nyamonye Parish of Kisumu Archdiocese (2009–2012), and Parish Priest of Holy Cross Siaya Parish of the Archdiocese of Kisumu (2012–2013).

He later pursued further studies in Canon Law in Rome, obtaining a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University.

On his return to Kenya in the Archdiocese of Kisumu, he served in various capacities, including Administrator of St. Andrew Bondo Parish (2018–2019) and Promoter of Justice of the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Kisumu (2018–2020).

He was later appointed Chancellor and Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Kisumu, positions he held from 2019 to 2023.

When Consecrated Bishop, Mons. Odundo will assist Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba in shepherding the people of God in the Kenyan Metropolitan See with some 2.1 million Catholics spread across 63 Parishes, according to 2024 Vatican statistics.