By Paschal Norbert
VATICAN, DECEMBER 15, 2021 (CISA) – “The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Bungoma, Kenya, the Reverend Mark Kadima, of the clergy of Kakamega, until now chargé d’affaires at the apostolic nunciature in South Sudan,” the Holy See Press Office announced on December 14.
Fr Mark Kadima was born on April 30, 1964, in Kakamega. He attended Kholera Primary School, secondary school at Saint Peter’s Minor Seminary of Kakamega, and Tindinyo College.
After the preparatory year at Saint Mary’s Senior Seminary, in the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru (1985), he began his studies in philosophy at Saint Augustine’s Senior Seminary of Mabanga in the Catholic Diocese of Bungoma from 1986-1987), which he completed at the Pontifical Urban University of Rome from 1987 to 1988, where he was also awarded a bachelor’s degree and a licentiate in theology from 1988 to1993.
Fr Kadima was ordained a priest on October 2, 1993, and incardinated in the Catholic Diocese of Kakamega.
After ordination, Fr Kadima taught at Saint Peter’s Minor Seminary in Kakamega and, at the same time, assistant priest at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary parish in Shiseso from 1993 to 1996. He was a rector of the same minor seminary from 1996 to 1999. He carried out further studies at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, and for a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Urban University from 1999 to 2001.
Fr Kadima joined the Holy See diplomatic service on July 1, 2001, and has served in the pontifical representations in Colombia, Angola, Ghana, Bangladesh, Greece and Brazil. From April 27, 2018, to date he has served in the apostolic nunciature in South Sudan.
The Catholic Diocese of Bungoma, established in 1987 from the diocese of Kakamega, has been without a bishop since 2018. Bishop-elect Kadima will take over from bishop Norman King’oo Wambua who served the diocese for 20 years and is now bishop of Machakos.
