After weeks of sustained bandits attacks in Kainuk town along the border of Turkana and West Pokot counties, Friday morning was a moment of joy and celebration as Catholics from the Diocese of Lodwar received Rt Reverend John Mbinda as the incoming Bishop.
Led by faithful of All Saints Parish Kainuk, locals witnessed Mr Mbinda, who was accompanied by his predecessor Bishop Dominic Kimengich of the Eldoret Catholic Diocese, kiss the ground at Kainuk Bridge as he made a grand entry into the county.
With song and dance they escorted Mr Mbinda to Lodwar town ahead of his episcopal ordination and installation on Saturday at Ekaales Center making him the fourth Bishop of the Diocese.
This will bring to an end a two and a half year long wait for the Diocese to have a new Bishop after its third Bishop, Mr Kimengich, replaced the late Bishop Cornelius Korir in November 2019 at Eldoret Diocese.
Mr Mbinda was overwhelmed by the warm reception thanking everyone who participated in the organization of the event especially Bishop Kimengich who has also been the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese since February 2020.
"I want to thank God and the Holy Father for appointing me to work with the people of the diocese of Lodwar. I have seen the joy that i had taken as my motto is already being enjoyed. This encourages me as i begin my mission," he told journalists at a stop over in Lokichar.
He said that besides the spiritual and pastoral part of life, he will also be focusing on other needs that the people of Lodwar and Turkana need as human beings.
He will bank on cooperation and support of everyone to tackle critical issues of climate change, food insecurity and banditry facing the county.
"To tackle climate change that is affecting all of us, if each family can accept to plant and nurture one or two trees then together in our compounds then we can fight desertification," Mr Mbinda said.
He said food insecurity is caused by the recurrent drought and there must be areas of mitigation which needs to be tackled scientifically.
He noted that insecurity in North Rift region can be tackled through dialogue by engaging all the people because security begins with an individual.
"If all of us understand that we need security, each one of us will work hard to consent the neighbor that it is important to live in peace. All of us should think about peace, promote issues of peace and try to coexist by loving one another," Mr Mbinda said.
Bishop Kimengich said he was very happy that he has a replacement who will be able to carry on with the work of evangelization and other apostolate areas in the diocese.
"You are in safe hands. Turkana is a wonderful place and people are very happy and supportive," he said.
He asked the people of the 61 year old Diocese to support programmes and the vision the Bishop-elect has.
Mr Mbinda was born on May 5, 1973 in Kanzalu Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Machakos.
His appointment by Holy Father Pope Francis as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar was officially published on April 4, 2022 in Rome.
Until his appointment, Bishop-elect was working as Assistant Parish Priest of Our Lady of Grace and St Edward Parish in Chiswick, Catholic Archdiocese of West-minister in the United Kingdom, position he held from April 1, 2022.
The first Bishop was John Christopher Mahon (January 16, 1968 to February 17, 2000), Patrick Joseph Harington was second from February 17, 2000 to March 5, 2011) and Bishop Kimengich took over from March 5, 2011 to November 16, 2019.
The diocese that is located in an arid and semi arid area known for its cyclical droughts and famine borders Uganda (Moroto and Kotido Dioceses), South Sudan (Torit Diocese) and Ethiopia (Jimma-Bonga and Sodo Vicariates).
