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Pope Leo XIV “has a special place in his heart for Kenya”: Apostolic Nuncio on Holy Father’s Hoped for Visit

Agnes Aineah

By Agnes Aineah

Nairobi, 13 July, 2025 / 10:46 pm (ACI Africa).

The Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya has already invited Pope Leo XIV to the East African nation and believes that with concerted effort involving the Church leadership and the Kenyan government, the Holy Father may soon realize a maiden pastoral visit to the country as Pope.

In an interview with local journalists shortly after the July 10 news of the erection of the Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet was made public, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen explored the closeness of Pope Leo XIV with Kenya, especially through the members of the Order of St. Augustine (OSA/Augustinians) in the country’s capital city, Nairobi.

“Pope Leo is a hard worker. And yes, he has a special place in his heart for Kenya. You have already read in the newspapers directly after his election as Pope that he is very close to the Augustinian community in Nairobi,” Archbishop van Megen told journalists in Kapsabet.

Hinting on his recent engagement with Pope XIV, the Vatican diplomat added, “I had the occasion to meet him in June and I invited him to also come to Kenya.”

“Pope Francis was here in 2015, which is 10 years ago. It is time for a new Pope to come and visit Kenya. So, maybe we should try to work on that together with the government to get the new Pope, Pope Leo to Kenya.”

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Expressing hope that the Holy Father will visit Kenya soon, the Dutch-born Apostolic Nuncio in the East African nation following his appointment in February 2019 reiterated his invitation, saying, “Baba Leo, karibu Kenya (welcome to Kenya Pope Leo).”

Pope Leo XIV has erected Kapsabet Diocese as the 28th Episcopal See in Kenya, carved out from the country’s Catholic Diocese of Eldoret.

The July 10 publication on the erection of Kapsabet Diocese included the Papal appointment of the pioneer Local Ordinary, Bishop John Kiplimo Lelei, who has been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Eldoret Diocese. 

The new Diocese becomes the eighth Suffragan Diocese of the Metropolitan See of Kisumu alongside Bungoma, Eldoret, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kisii, Kitale, and Lodwar.

Set to have St. Peter’s Catholic Parish in the township of Kapsabet as its Cathedral, the new Diocese that covers the territory of Kenya’s Nandi County starts off with 36 Parishes, 52 Priests, 44 of them Diocesan and eight members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL).

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At the July 10 press briefing, the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya described the erection of Kapsabet Diocese as “good news”, saying, “It is a consequence of a Church that is growing, a Church that is active. The new Diocese will help the Catholic Church in providing more pastoral care to the Christian faithful of Nandi.”

Expressing gratitude to the Holy Father for the new Diocese, Archbishop van Megen said, “We thank Pope Leo XIV for that great gift to the Church in Kenya and to the universal Church because creating this Diocese is also witness of the Church that is growing, a Church that is vital in the kingdom of God that is fruitful.”

The Vatican diplomat announced that the inauguration of the Catholic Diocese and the installation of the pioneer Local Ordinary have been scheduled for August 30.

Agnes Aineah

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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