CISA

DODOMA, APRIL 14, 2026 (CISA) – The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) has announced the death of the pioneer Bishop of Kondoa Diocese, Bernardin Francis Mfumbusa, who passed away on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 11:45 a.m. at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, where he had been admitted for emergency medical care.

In its official statement, TEC expressed regret at the loss of the prelate, describing his passing as a major blow to the Church in Tanzania and the wider African ecclesial community, particularly in the field of social communication, where he had emerged as a leading voice.

According to local reports, Bishop Mfumbusa is expected to be laid to rest on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, within the Diocese of Kondoa, where he served as the founding bishop and spiritual shepherd since its establishment in 2011.

His death comes just days after a significant milestone in his ecclesiastical service. On April 9, 2026, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, appointed him as a Member of the Vatican Dicastery for Social Communication, in recognition of his leadership as President of the Communication Committee of the Federation of African and Madagascar Episcopal Conferences, known as the Pan African Episcopal Conference for Social Communication (CEPACS).

Born on April 1, 1962, in Kondoa, Bishop Mfumbusa lived 64 years marked by dedicated service to the Church. After his early formation and priestly training, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1992, by Bishop Matthias Joseph Isuja, then bishop of the Diocese of Dodoma.

His episcopal ministry began after the establishment of the Diocese of Kondoa by Pope Benedict XVI on March 12, 2011. He was appointed its first bishop and subsequently consecrated on May 15, 2011. The episcopal consecration was presided over by Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, then Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, and co-consecrated by Archbishop Yuda Thaddeus Ruwa’ichi and Bishop Augustine Ndeliakyama Shao, C.S.Sp. of Zanzibar.

For 14 years as bishop and 33 years as a priest, Bishop Mfumbusa served the Church in various capacities, combining pastoral governance with academic and professional expertise in communication. His leadership was particularly noted in strengthening diocesan structures, promoting evangelization through media, and contributing to continental Church communication policy.

Tributes continue to pour in from across the region and beyond, with many Church leaders describing him as a disciplined pastor, an intellectual voice in ecclesial communication, and a committed servant of the Gospel.