By Paschal Norbert

NAIROBI, MARCH 27, 2026 (CISA)– The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has appointed Msgr. Obed Muriungi Karobia, OFM Conv., as Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, assigning him the titular see of Timida. The announcement was made by the Holy See Press Office on March 26, 2026.

Upon his episcopal ordination, Bishop-elect Karobia will assist the Archbishop of Nairobi, Philip Anyolo, in the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese, alongside Auxiliary Bishop David Kamau.

His appointment marks a historic milestone for the Church in Kenya, as he becomes the first member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv.) to be elevated to the episcopate in the country since the Order established its missionary presence in 1984 in Ruiri, Meru. The appointment highlights the growing contribution of the Conventual Franciscan charism within the Kenyan ecclesial landscape.

Born on June 29, 1979, in Meru, Kenya, Bishop-elect Karobia joined the Conventual Franciscan Friars and made his simple profession on July 24, 2004, followed by his solemn profession on October 10, 2010. He was ordained a priest on July 28, 2012. He pursued his philosophical studies at Saint Bonaventure College in Lusaka, Zambia, and later obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology from Tangaza College in Nairobi.

Over the years, he has exercised a wide range of pastoral and administrative responsibilities. He served as parish vicar (2012–2013) and parish priest (2013–2016) at Saint Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Nairobi. He also worked extensively in vocation ministry as head of vocations for the Conventual Franciscans in Kenya from 2012 to 2019.

Between 2016 and 2019, he was formator and bursar at the Conventual Franciscan House of Formation in Nairobi. In September 2019, he was elected the first Minister Provincial of the newly established Kenyan Province of St. Francis of Assisi, serving until 2023. During this period, he also served as President of the African Federation of Friars Minor Conventual from 2020 to 2023, reinforcing his leadership within the Order on the continent.

At the time of his appointment, Bishop-elect Karobia has been serving since 2024 as Supreme Moderator of the Franciscan Servants of Mary Queen of Love, a public association of the faithful in the Diocese of Ngong, a role entrusted to him by the Dicastery for Evangelization. He is also a PhD candidate in psychology at Daystar University.