Joseph Mwongela

Joseph Maluki Mwongela (born 7 April 1968) is a Kenyan Roman Catholic prelate who serves as Coadjutor Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Machakos, in Kenya. He was appointed to that position on 4 January 2026 by Pope Leo XIV. Before that, from 17 March 2020 until 4 January 2026, he was the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitui. Pope Francis appointed him bishop on 17 March 2020. He was consecrated and installed at Kitui on 29 August 2020 by Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, Titular Archbishop of Novaliciana.

Background and education Joseph Mwongela was born on 7 April 1968, in Kakumi Village, in the Diocese of Kitui, in present-day Kitui County. He attended Saint Mary's Senior Seminary for the preparatory year. He studied philosophy at Saint Augustine's Senior Seminary in Mabanga. He then studied theology at Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi. He graduated with a Licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. He also holds a Doctorate in theology awarded by the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

Priesthood He was ordained a priest on 7 September 1996. He served as a priest of the Diocese of Kitui, until 17 March 2020. While a priest, he served in various roles and locations including:

Bishop Mwongela succeeded as bishop of the Kitui Diocese from Archbishop Anthony Muheria, of Nyeri Archdiocese, who was the apostolic administrator over Kitui diocese after he was transferred by the Pope to the Archdiocese of Nyeri in April 2017.

Mwongela was appointed coadjutor bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Machakos on 4 January 2026 by Pope Leo XIV. Bishop Mwongela is expected to work with Bishop Norman King'oo Wambua, the local ordinary of the diocese and succeed at Machakos when that position falls vacant in the future. On 19 March 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Kitui, until a substantive local ordinary is appointed in the future.