Some Background Information on Kenya

Compiled by Bill Turnbull W.F

 

Map of Kenya

The People and Country

Basic Indicators
Total Population 29,549,000

Population under-5 4,462,000
Population under-18 15,127,000
Annual no. of births 992,000
GNP per Capita US$360
Languages, Ethnic Groups and Religions
Ethnic Groups: There are over 70 ethnic groups in Kenya which can be divided into three major linguistic groups. They are: the Bantu such as the Bukusu, Embu, Kamba 11%, Kikuyu 22%, Kisii 6%, Kuria, Luhya 14% and the Meru 6%; the Nilotes such as the Iteso, Kalenjin (Kipsigis, Nandi, Keiyo, Tugen) 12%, Luo 13%, Marakwet, Maasai and the Samburu; and the Cushites such as the Boran, Rendille, and the Somali.
There are also non-African (Asian, European and Arab) 2%.
Languages: English and Swahili are the official official languages
Religions: Christianianity 66% (RC 28%), Trad. Religions 26%, Muslim 7%, Others 1%.
Mortality Rates
Infant mortality rate (1) 76
Under-5 mortality rate (1) 118
Under-5 mortality rank 37
Annual no. of under-5 deaths 117,000
% Oral Rehidration (ORT) use 69
Life Expectancy 51 years
Maternal Mortality Ratio (2) 590
Safe Water and Adequate Sanitation
% of population with access to
  water sanitation
Urban 87 96
Rural 31 81
Total 49 86
Politics
The Chief of State and Head of Government is President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi (since 14th. October, 1978). The President is elected from the members of the National Assembly for a five-year term. The last election was held on the 29th. December, 1997, and the next is due in 2003. The Constitution is from the 12th. December, 1963, amended as a republic in 1964 with seven further amendments.
Political Parties (in alphabetical order)
Chama Cha Uma Party (CCM), Democratic Assistant Party, Democratic Party of Kenya (DP), Economic Independent Party, Federal Party of Kenya, Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili (Ford Asili or Ford-A), Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya (Ford-K), Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People (Ford-People), Green African Party, Kenya African National Union (KANU)(governing party), Kenya National Congress, Kenya National Democratic Alliance, Kenya Peoples Democratic Party, Kenya Republican Reformation Party, Kenya Social Congress, Kenya Socialist Party, Labour Party Democracy, Labour Party of Kenya, Liberal Democratic Party, Liberal Greens Party of Kenya, National Conservative Party of Kenya, National Democratic Independent Union, National Development Party (NDP), National Labour Party, New Peoples Democratic Party, Party of Independent Candidates of Kenya, Peoples Democratic Union of Kenya, Peoples Party of Kenya, Reform of Political and Kenya Union, Reform Party of Kenya, SAFINA, Shirikisho Party Of Kenya, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Social Party for Advancement and Reforms ­ Kenya, The Peoples Solidarity Union of Kenya SOC/36694, The Union Party, United Democratic of Peace Integrity in Kenya, United Kenya Citizen Party, United Patriotic Party of Kenya, UMMA ­ Patriotic Party Of Kenya.

 

Facts and Figures on the Kenyan Catholic Church

Map of Kenyan Dioceses 

 

Archdiocese/Diocese

Details
Bungoma Diocese The Bishop is the Rt. Rev. Norman K. Wambua. Of the 39 priests in the diocese, 32 are diocesan and 7 are religious. [1]
Eldoret Diocese Since 1990 the Bishop has been the Rt. Rev. Cornelius Kipng'ego Arap Korir. There are 89 priests in the diocese, 55 diocesan and 34 religious. [1]
Embu Diocese The Rt. Rev. John Njue has been the Bishop since 1986. There are 26 diocesan priests and 11 religious priests in the diocese. [2]
Garissa Diocese The Rt. Rev. Paul Darmanin has been the Bishop since 1984. There is 1 diocesan priest and 20 religious priests in the diocese. [3]
Homa Bay Diocese Since 1993 the Rt. Rev. Linus Okok Okwach has been the Bishop . Of the 38 priests in the diocese 22 are diocesan and 16 are religious. [1]
Isiolo Apostolic Vicariate The diocese is a Vicariate Apostolic which was created in 1996. Since the foundation the vicar apostolic has been the Rt. Rev. Luigi Locati. There are 24 priests working in the diocese: 4 diocesan, 8 fidei donum and 12 religious priests. The vicariate has 115 catechists.
Kakamega Diocese Since 1978 the Rt. Rev. Philip Sulumeti has been the Bishop. Of the 54 priests in the diocese 32 are diocesan and 22 are religious. [1]
Kericho Diocese Since 1996 the Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo has been the Bishop. There are 20 priests working in the diocese: 10 diocesan, 1 fidei donum and 9 religious priests. The diocese has 275 catechists. [4]
Kisii Diocese The Rt. Rev. Joseph Mairura Okemwa has been the Bishop since 1995. There are 14 diocesan priests and 4 religious priests in the diocese. [1]
Kisumu Archdiocese The archdiocese is a metropolitan see and since 1990 the M. Rev. Rev. Zacchaeus Okoth has been the Archbishop. There are 54 priests working in the archdiocese: 37 diocesan, 1 fidei donum, and 16 religious priests, and there are 700 catechists.
Kitale Diocese The diocese has 17 parishes and since 1998 the Rt. Rev. Maurice Anthony Crowley has been the Bishop. Of the 33 priests in the diocese 16 are diocesan and 17 are missionaries. [1]
Kitui Diocese The Rt. Rev. Boniface Lele has been the Bishop since 1996. There are 39 priests working in the diocese: 28 diocesan, 3 fidei donum and 8 religious priests. There are 21 parishes and 88 catechists. [4]
Lodwar Diocese Since 1978 the Rt. Rev. John Christopher Mahon has been the Bishop. There are 11 diocesan priests, 19 religious priests, and 130 catechists. [1]
Machakos Diocese The Rt. Rev. Urbanus Joseph Kioko has been the Bishop since 1973. There are 40 parishes with 76 diocesan priests and 24 religious priests. [4]
Marsabit Diocese Since 1981 the Rt. Rev. Ambrose Ravasi, IMC, has been the Bishop. There are 44 priests in the diocese: 10 diocesan, 7 fidei donum and 27 religious priests. The diocese has 130 catechists. [2]
Meru Diocese The Rt. Rev. Silas Sylvius Njiru has been the Bishop since 1976. There are 32 parishes 32 served by 104 priests: 57 diocesan priests, and 47 religious. [2]
Military Ordinariate The military Ordinary is the Rt. Rev. Alfred Arap Rotich. There are 15 chaplains, 24 catechists, and 23 churches.
Mombasa Archdiocese The archdiocese is a metropolitan see and since 1990 the M. Rev. John Njenga has been the Archbishop. There are 78 priests - 52 diocesan and 26 religious - working with 145 catechists in 38 parishes.
Murang'a Diocese The Rt. Rev. Peter Kihara is the Bishop and there are 57 priests in the diocese: 41 diocesan priests and 16 religious. [2]
Nairobi Archdiocese The archdiocese is a metropolitan see and the M. Rev. Raphael S. Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki has been the Bishop since 1969, and the Archbishop since 1997. There are 542 priests in the archdiocese: 99 diocesan priests and 443 religious. Many religious congregations and societies, including local and missionary, have houses and colleges in the archdiocese. The White Fathers, numbering 14, are involved in various activities, including running 2 parishes.
Nakuru Diocese Since 1997 the Rt. Rev. Peter J. Kairo has been the Bishop. There are 33 parishes and 90 priests: 55 diocesan priests, 2 fidei donum, and 33 religious priests. [4]
Ngong Diocese The Rt. Rev. Colin Cameron Davies has been the Bishop since 1977. 20 diocesan priests, 4 fidei donum, and 30 religious priests work in the diocese along with 495 catechists. [4]
Nyeri Archdiocese The archdiocese is a metropolitan see and since 1990 the M. Rev. Nicodemus Kirima has been the Archbishop. There are 116 priests in the archdiocese - 88 diocesan priests, 16 fidei donum, and 12 religious - working with 1,100 catechists.
FootNotes: [1] = a suffragan diocese of Kisumu Archdiocese; [2] = a suffragan of Nyeri Archdiocese; [3] = a suffragan of Mombasa Archdiocese; [4] = a suffragan of Nairobi Archdiocese. The first Catholic Missionaries, the Holy Ghost Fathers, arrived in Kenya in 1889. The hierarchy was established in 1953 and the three Metropolitan sees in 1990. In recent years the Catholic Church has been very active in speaking out against injustice in Kenya. The Bishops have written many pastoral letters which have advised and guided the faithful through the troubled times.

 

 

Facts and Figures on the Kenyan Catholic Church
Diocese
Area
in square kilometres (2)
Population
Catholics
Priests
Brothers
Sisters
Major Seminarians
Bungoma 4,840 1,376,899 418,693 39 21 99 55
Eldoret 15,645 2,380,000 486,000 89 19 203 68
Embu 2,714 500,000 164,000 37 2 40 43
Garissa 168,353 600,000 21,400 21 7 17 2
Homa Bay 7,778 1,648,000 340,449 38 24 311 40
Isiolo 25,605 200,000 19,245 24 3 33 6
Kakamega 3,517 1,735,704 238,332 54 12 278 70
Kericho 4,600 1,297,000 194,327 20 7 23 25
Kisii 2,196 1,250,000 302,135 18 8 90 35
Kisumu (1) 6,419 1,695,000 347,700 54 13 156 29
Kitale 7,233 640,000 130,000 33 8 72 24
Kitui 36,246 900,000 124,350 39 14 58 42
Lodwar 70,000 250,000 25,000 30 4 44 12
Machakos 15,183 1,801,269 407,117 100 43 87 117
Marsabit 103,000 360,000 43,547 44 8 72 24
Meru 35,527 1,427,238 676,252 104 18 272 101
Military --- 32,000 13,163 15 --- --- ---
Mombasa (1) 38,000 2,000,000 220,000 78 7 204 30
Murang'a 4,016 1,438,859 563,311 57 14 122 42
Nairobi (1) 3,271 4,200,000 1,100,000 542 749 895 60
Nakuru 18,149 1,634,254 302,000 90 33 293 64
Ngong 47,000 600,000 82,651 54 32 99 17
Nyeri (1) 16,529 1,203,250 532,286 116 31 196 98
Totals 682,821 29,169,473 6,751,958 1,696 1,077 3,664 1,004

Facts and Figures on the Kenyan Catholic Church' FootNotes: (1) Kisumu, Mombasa, Nairobi and Nyeri are Archdiocese; (2) the areas are in square kilometres (sq.km.), 1 sq.km. is 0.3861 of a statute square mile; for other sources see the main articles.

Sources: Various AMECEA Documentation Service documents, and 'International Fides Service'
(No 4150­NE 299), 28th. May, 1999.

These articles appeared in "White Fathers - White Sisters" (UK), issue 358, of June-July, 2001.

The article may be published freely with due acknowledgements to the "White Fathers - White Sisters" magazine.

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