KENYA: The life of Bishop Norman King’oo
Bishop Norman King’oo Wambua becomes the third Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos after the late Bishop Urbanus Joseph Kioko and Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde who was transferred from the Diocese of Machakos to head the Archdiocese of Mombasa. The Diocese of Machakos has been under the care of Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Archdiocese of Nyeri as its Apostolic Administrator for three years.
Bishop Norman King’oo Wambua was born in 1952 at Kithiiani Village, Maiani Sub-location, Makueni County. He attended Enzai primary school from 1962 to 1969. After his primary education, his family moved to Kitale and he joined St. Anthony Secondary School by then called Kitale Day Secondary School, from 1970 to 1973. He joined Thongoto Teachers’ College in Kikuyu in 1974 and after his graduation, he was posted at Turkana where he worked as a teacher from 1976 to 1978.
Later from 1979 to 1981, he went for Form 5 and 6 at Tindinyo College, which was a minor Seminary under the Diocese of Kakamega. After Form 6, the young Norman King’oo started to pursue his vocation as a priest and in 1982, he joined St. Augustine Senior Seminary for the Philosophical studies. He left Mabanga in 1984 and in August the same year he joined St. Thomas Aquinas seminary Nairobi for theological studies. After completing his studies ready for ordination, the Bishops gave all fourth year theology students from St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Nairobi, a pastoral year, to which he was not an exception.
He was ordained priest on 22nd, May 1988 by the late Bishop John Mahon, who posted him for pastoral work at St. Augustine’s Cathedral Parish in Lodwar town from 22 May 1988 to September 1990. Then Bishop Mahon sent him to Ireland for further studies where he pursued Systematic Theology and came back to the Diocese in 1992. Upon his return, the Bishop sent him to Kanamkemer Parish in Lodwar Town as the Parish Priest from July 1992 – 1995. After successfully working in that parish, the Bishop appointed him the principal of Kakuma High School where he worked until 1997 when he Joined St. Augustine Senior Seminary as Formator.
In 1988, Bishop Norman King’oo was transferred from Mabanga Senior Seminary to Tindinyo Senior Seminary where he worked only for one semester before he was appointed the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Bugoma on 27th, June 1998. He was consecrated Bishop of that Diocese on 16 August 1988 by Cardinal Joseph Tomko, and he has worked there as its shepherd for 20 years.
Interviewed on 2 July 2018 by the Machakos Diocesan Communications Secretary, Bishop Norman King’oo said that he enjoyed working in the Catholic Diocese of Bungoma, though at first it was not easy due to language and the new environment. He said that the locals speak Bukusu language but most of the time has used Kiswahili and sometimes Turkana language while celebrating mass.
He praised the priests together with the religious men and women of the Diocese of Bungoma and all the Christians for their cooperation. He joyfully says that he has witnessed the Church grow spiritually and in many other developments that have been accomplished in the Diocese.
Asked how he received the message of the appointment to Machakos, Bishop King’oo said that it was a shock but since all the priests and the bishops are bound by the vow of Obedience, he had no choice other than to accept the appointment.
“The Pope decides where the bishops should work and therefore I welcomed his appointment. We are bound by the vow of obedience and so I am not exceptional,” he said.
Bishop Normal King’oo says that he has been out of Machakos for 49 years and therefore has some difficulty in speaking the language though he hopes to learn it soon.
“After that lengthy stay away from Ukambani, I shall build up my vocabulary again,” he said.
The Diocese is vast but Bishop King’oo has great hopes that the priests, Religious men and women, and all the Christians of Machakos will cooperate and assist him where possible.
Christians of Machakos are enthusiastic are waiting to welcome the bishop as their Shepherd on Saturday 25 August 2018. All the groups are set to welcome the new Bishop from PMC, youth, CMA/CWA. It has been three and a half years since the diocese fell vacant following the transfer of Most Rev. Martin Kivuva to head the Archdiocese of Mombasa.
The diocese officials have invited their protestant brothers and Government leaders, and they are expecting a very big number to attend the function, which will be held at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
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By Fr. Alphonse Mwema, Communications Coordinator, Machakos Diocese
