Coadjutor Bishop of Meru Takes the Helm of the Kenyan Catholic Diocese as Bishop Mugambi Retires at 75

At the time of his appointment, Bishop Murugara, then Fr. Murugara, was serving as Parish Priest and Rector of Our Lady of Consolata Shrine in Nairobi, Kenya.

Reacting to his appointment news during a lunchtime Mass at the Consolata Shrine in Westlands, the Kenyan-born member of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC) disclosed that the Papal choice had taken him by surprise and appealed for prayers as he prepared for the new responsibility.

Bishop Jackson Murugara. Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

Born in April 1970 in Kamanyaki, Tharaka-Nithi County, within the territory of Meru Diocese, Bishop Murugara’s ecclesial journey has been closely tied to the local Church he now leads. 

He undertook his studies in Philosophy at the Consolata Institute of Philosophy in Nairobi, Theology at the Missionary Institute in London, and made his first religious profession in 1997. He was ordained a priest on 15 August 2001 at Matiri Catholic Parish of Meru Diocese.

Bishop Jackson Murugara. Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

During his Episcopal Ordination on 19 March 2025 at Kinoru Stadium in Meru, the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, urged the new Bishop to build upon the work already laid by his predecessors. 

“You do not stand alone. You are carried by many; you build on the shoulders of many who have gone before you, and that is the good thing about the Catholic Church, that you do not need to start from scratch,” Archbishop van Megen said.

 Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

The Dutch-born Vatican diplomat emphasized that the foundation of Bishop Murugara’s ministry was already firmly established in the person of Jesus Christ. 

“You do not have to put any new foundations because your foundation is in Christ. He has put the foundations already and the contours of the church are already drawn,” the Apostolic Nuncio said, calling on the Bishop to be attentive to the Word of God and to the mission of reconciliation at the heart of the Church.

Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

In his homily, Archbishop van Megen cautioned against distractions that could undermine pastoral service. “Indeed, the church you are called to serve and lead as a Bishop exists only for one reason, and … the forgiveness of sins is the first and foremost vocation of the church,” he said, warning against the temptations of “financial gain, prestige, or increase of power.”

In his maiden address following his Episcopal Consecration, Bishop Murugara turned his attention to the universal Church, praying publicly for Pope Francis, who was then undergoing treatment for double pneumonia. 

Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

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“In a special way I wish His Holiness Pope Francis a quick recovery and complete healing. May God’s grace and strength continue to sustain you as you shepherd the universal church with such love and dedication,” he said about the late Pontiff, who passed on in April 2025 from multiple complications, including a stroke, coma, and irreversible cardiovascular collapse.

Bishop Murugara also expressed gratitude to the Holy Father for the trust placed in him. He said, “Thank you Your Holiness for placing such profound trust in me to carry the heavy cross of shepherding this Diocese. Like St. Paul, I take comfort in the words, ‘my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”

Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

Looking ahead, Bishop Murugara pledged to foster collaboration and unity within the Diocese. “I promise to solemnly work with you, pray together, and grow spiritually. United with His Lordship Salesius Mugambi, the clergy, the religious, and the other pastoral agents, we shall steadfastly steer our diocese forward,” he said, highlighting continuity with his predecessor’s pastoral vision.

As Bishop Mugambi steps aside after nearly 24 years of service since his Episcopal Consecration in March 2002, Bishop Murugara now assumes full pastoral responsibility for a Diocese that spans 9,546 square kilometers and serves over one million Catholics – about 31 percent of the total population – across Meru and Tharaka-Nithi Counties.

Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

Entrusting his ministry to prayer in his maiden speech as Bishop on 19 March 2025, Bishop Murugara said, “I entrust all to the silent, yet powerful care of St. Joseph, the patron saint of our Diocese, and the maternal intercession of our Mother Mary Consolata.” 

Credit: Catholic Diocese of Meru Youth Office

With Bishop Murugara’s words, the Catholic Diocese of Meru has, since January 1, entered a new era under its new shepherd – an era to be marked by continuity, deep faith, and hope for the future.