Bishop of Malindi
Wilybard Lagho was born on March 23, 1958, in Taita-Taveta, within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mombasa. From 1980 to 1982, he studied philosophy at St. Augustine’s Senior Seminary in Mabanga (Diocese of Bungoma), and from 1982 to 1986, he studied theology at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi. He was ordained a priest on April 25, 1997, and incardinated into the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mombasa. Subsequently, he held the following positions and pursued further studies: Parochial Vicar (1987–1988); Parish Priest of St. Michael’s Parish in Giriama and Christ the King Parish in Miritini, as well as Diocesan Director of Youth and Vocations Ministry (1988–1990); Rector and teacher at St. Mary’s Minor Seminary in Kwale (1990–1992); Master’s Degree in Religious Studies from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi (1992–1994); Licentiate in Arabic and Islamic Studies in Cairo and at PISAI in Rome (1994–1998); Parochial Vicar (1998–1999); lecturer and formator at St. Matthias Mulumba Senior Seminary in Tindinyo (2000–2002); lecturer and Rector of St. Augustine’s Senior Seminary in Mabanga (2002–2006); Director of the Diocesan Office for Catholic Education and Parish Priest of Our Lady of Fatima in Kongowea (2006–2008); and Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Mombasa from 2008 to the present. Since 2011, Msgr. Lagho has served as President of the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics (CICC) and as the Diocesan Head of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue. He also served as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (2008–2014) and as an advisor to DANMISSION—the missionary association of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (2015–2016).