KENYA: Former AMECEA Secretary General to head KCCB Canon Law National Office
From left, KCCB – Human Resource Officer Hellen Rutto, Former AMECEA Secretary General, Very Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Lugonzo, Outgoing Director, Rev. Fr. Calisto Nyagilo and KCCB Deputy General Secretary, Rev. Fr. Lucas Ong’esa
Former Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Secretary General, Very Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Lugonzo, has been appointed as Director of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Canon Law National Office.
Fr. Lugonzo who is currently a lecturer in Catholic University of Eastern Africa’s (CUEA) Department of Canon Law, took office on 4th February 2020 from the outgoing Director, Rev. Fr. Calisto Nyagilo in a ceremony held at the Catholic Secretariat in Waumini House, Nairobi. Fr. Nyagilo has been serving at the Canon Law National Office on a part-time basis for the last five years; Fr Lugonzo will also serve on part time basis as he continues serving at CUEA.
In his parting remarks, Fr. Nyagilo thanked the Bishops for granting him an opportunity to serve at the Conference level. He disclosed that during his time in office, he has trained tens of thousands of people on child protection and safeguarding, among them being members of the Clergy, Religious and Lay faithful across the 26 dioceses comprising KCCB.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony, KCCB Deputy General Secretary, Rev. Fr. Lucas Ong’esa thanked Fr. Nyagilo for his faithful commitment and love for the Church in executing his duties. He observed that Fr. Nyagilo worked professionally as a Canonist and having acquired knowledge and skills on safeguarding of children and vulnerable persons from Rome, he was able to create awareness about the abuses that surround these people in Kenya.
“Fr. Lugonzo worked at this Secretariat in the Canon Law National Office in 2011 for five months before being seconded to AMECEA as Secretary General,” said Fr. Ong’esa.
Oh his part, Fr. Lugonzo thanked God and the Bishops for granting him another opportunity to serve at the Canon Law National Office after being away for almost nine years. He appreciated Fr. Nyagilo for initiating the formation of structures and drafting policies on Child Safeguarding and committing himself to oversee the implementation through creation of the necessary structural framework.
Fr Lugonzo has pledged to push the child safeguarding agenda further in close collaboration with his predecessor whom he said has vast knowledge and skills, having attended a training in Rome on issues of Child Safeguarding.
By Rose Achiego
