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Kenyan Bishop: Church must get hands dirty to address people’s problems
In a conversation with our correspondent Guglielmo Gallone, the Bishop of Ngong, a Kenyan Diocese spanning 39,000 square kilometers, says, “We must get our hands dirty for the good of our brothers and sisters, for the love of God, and in the face of people’s real-life struggles.”
By Guglielmo Gallone – Nairobi
Bishop John Oballa Owaa of the Catholic Diocese of Ngong, Kenya, speaks candidly when asked about the Church’s role in a region where poverty, unemployment, and family instability continue to deny many young people the chance to build a future.
It is within this diocese, south of Nairobi, that “Tone la Maji” (Drop of Water), a center run by the Koinonia Community and founded by Fr. Renato Kizito Sesana is located. The center welcomes and supports street children and youth.
After meeting the young children living there, Vatican News also met with Bishop Oballa Owaa, who has led the diocese since 2012, to understand the context in which the center operates.
It was established as an Apostolic Administration in 1959 and became a full Diocese in 1976; this year it is celebrating its Golden Jubilee.
Evangelization through education and health initiatives
“Our ambition is vast, as the initial vision was to reach the entire Maasai population of Kenya,” notes the Bishop. “The diocese covers an area of approximately 39,000 square kilometers, with a total population now reaching 2.2 million people. However, only about 15 percent of the population is Catholic. We therefore continue our evangelization work through missionary activities, education, livelihood support programs, and outreach at health centers. We recognize that the region is undergoing rapid change. New urban centers are encroaching on lands traditionally dedicated to pastoralism, and the climate is becoming increasingly volatile for an economy reliant on livestock. The Church addresses many issues within this context.”
Bishop Oballa Owaa highlighted environmental challenges, as well as a need on the political front—to tackle inequality, corruption, and poverty.
Young people are today’s citizens and Christians
The Bishop also emphasized the “constantly growing” number of vocations, noting that “our seminaries are full—truly full.”
While this is a blessing, he said, it brings the responsibility of ensuring solid formation.
Another issue concerns dialogue with neighboring countries that are part of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) but face difficult internal situations ranging from Sudan to South Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. Above all, the Bishop of Ngong reflected on the issue of youth.
“Young people are not merely the citizens and Christians of tomorrow, they are the citizens and Christians of today and tomorrow,” he said. “While on one hand they represent a large segment of the population and bring enthusiasm, energy, and values, on the other, many are unemployed, remain idle, and can easily be used as hired hands during political campaigns. It causes us great pain to see so many young men and women unable to pursue their professions, careers, or vocations because they lack the means to afford what is required to succeed. Some are used as agitators during political campaigns. They face violence even when demonstrating peacefully some have been shot, and they confront various forms of abuse.”
Training young people to evangelize peers
Therefore, young people themselves addressed the Bishops during the AMECEA plenary assembly held in Nairobi, saying, “You are our shepherds. Walk closely with us, work alongside us, and help us address our identity crisis.”
“For us, it is not just about accompanying these young people, we must train them to evangelize their peers and find people who can serve as their mentors,” said Bishop Oballa Owaa. “This is also because the Church can often be the only space for growth. Many vulnerabilities arise within the home.”
The Bishop spoke of rising separation, unstable marriages, and families that can no longer provide their children with protection and stability.
Organizations like ‘Tone la Maji’ provide support for child care
It is into this void that organizations like Tone la Maji step in. In the Diocese of Ngong, there are 11 centers: some care for street children, others protect girls at risk of early marriage, and others look after orphans.
“Without these facilities, many children would have no opportunities,” said the Bishop. “Something happened in their original families, and they ended up on the streets. Here, they can heal, return to school, and start over.”
‘We cannot isolate ourselves from the suffering of our brothers and sisters’
The Diocese provides food and financial aid, celebrates Mass, and deploys trained staff to address mental health issues and offer psychological support—a presence that is part of the Church’s mission.
“They tell us we should limit ourselves to preaching,” noted the Bishop. “But the Gospel has a social dimension. And we cannot avoid addressing injustice.”
The Church in Ngong does not remain aloof from the suffering of its people.
“Indeed,” concluded Bishop Oballa Owaa, “we must participate; we must be at the heart of this reality. We cannot isolate ourselves from the suffering of our brothers and sisters.”
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