Kenya:

The general government of the Claretians wanted to start missions in East Africa. The request was made to the English speaking organisms of the congregation. The Nigerian province responded quickly. The three Claretian Missionaries from the Nigeria came to Kenya in the year 1991 at the invitation of Archbishop John Njenga of Mombasa. The first missionaries who opened the Claretian mission were Fr. Innocent Indoziem, Fr. Julius Ohiege and Fr. Patrick Ekeogu. For few months they stayed with the diocesan priests in Chamgamwe and Kongowea parishes to learn the language and the culture of the people. In January 1992 the Claretian Missionaries were entrusted with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Shanzu which was run by the Holy Ghost Fathers. Later in the same year one of the substations of Shanzu parish, Holy Family Kiembeni parish which had become a parish in the year 1991, was given to the Claretians.

The Asian Claretian inter provincial council meeting was convened by Fr. Aquilino Bocos, the superior general, on the 4^th February 1993 at the provincial house of Bangalore, India. In the meeting he requested the Indian Claretian organisms to take up missions in East Africa. The province of Chennai selected Tanzania. Bangalore province opted for Uganda.

 Tanzania:

The Claretians missionaries from the province of Chennai came to the diocese of Musoma in the year 1994. Fr. Gaspar Masilamani was the first missionary from Chennai who arrived in Tanzania and followed by Fr. Arul Jesu Robin. They were entrusted with the Makoko Laity Formation Centre of the diocese in the year 1995. First formation house in East Africa with six East Africans as postulants was inaugurated in Makoko centre Musoma in 1998.

 Uganda:

26^th of October 1995 marked the arrival of the Claretians in Uganda. Fr. Joy Mampillikunnel and Fr. Mathew Mundackal from the Province of Bangalore came to the diocese of Jinja. After little more than a year of stay with the diocesan priests the Claretians were entrusted with St Gonzaga Catechetical Training Centre of the diocese in the month of January 1997. In the year 1999 the East African Claretian Novitiate was started with six East African Novices at Nalufanya in Jinja Diocese.

 expansions  of the missions 

In the subsequent years different missions were taken up by the Claretians in the three East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The year 2000 witnessed the opening of the major seminary for Philosophy and Theology at Morogoro in the diocese of Morogoro, Tanzania. The Philosophy studies were eventually shifted to Jinja in Uganda in the year 2006.

In the year 2001 St. Joseph parish at Kerwa, near Limuru, in the Archdiocese of Nairobi was entrusted to the Claretians for pastoral care. In the year 2003 Our Lady of Assumption parish was offered to the Claretian community of Kiyunga. Kimara parish in the archdiocese of Dar Es Salaam was entrusted to the Claretians in the year 2003. In 2004, the Archbishop of Mwanza in Tanzania invited the Claretians and offered the Buzuruga parish.

The Claretians in Uganda moved to the western part of Uganda by taking up a new mission in the archdiocese of Mbarara. In the month of October 2005 St. Claret Parish Nyabwina was entrusted to the care of the Claretians. On July 16^th 2010 the Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate, still now operating in Jinja, Uganda, was blessed and inaugurated at Kibiko in the diocese of Ngong, Kenya by his eminence John cardinal Njue, apostolic administrator of the diocese. Another parish, St. Charles and Matia, in the archdiocese of Mbarara in Uganda was opened in the year 2009.

In the year 2010 Claretians took up the Ngaremara mission in the Apostolic Vicariate of Isiolo Kenya to cater for the pastoral needs of the nomadic tribes of Turkana and Samburu. 2012 witnessed the opening of the aspirancy house in the diocese of Moshi, Tanzania. The first stage of formation in East Africa which was temporarily started in Musoma was permanently shifted to Boma N’gombe in Moshi.

The Claretians ventured into the south eastern region of Tanzania in 2013.  Uhepela mission was entrusted to the Claretians in the diocese of Njombe. In the year 2014 after the inauguration of St. Charles Lwanga Independent Delegation of the Claretians in East Africa the delegation curia community was opened at Karen in the archdiocese of Nairobi. The youngest mission of the Claretians in East Africa is St. Claret Parish Mchungwani in the Archdiocese of Dar Es Salaam. The parish was created from St. Mary’s Parish Kimara administered by the Claretians on first of May 2016. 

Unification Into one Delegation

Today, looking back at the short history of Claretians in East Africa we have many reasons to thank God. The Claretian charism that was brought to East Africa in the year 1991 has begun to produce different fruits for the Claretians and the local Church. The first batches of Claretians made their first profession on 16^th of July 2000 in Jinja, Uganda. The first Claretian priest from East Africa – Fr. Timothy Ogutuh – was ordained in the year 2005. Today, at 25 years of Claretian presence in East Africa, the Claretians are organized as St. Charles Lwanga Independent Delegation with 48 missionaries. This includes 14 Claretian missionaries of East African origin and the rest from India, Nigeria, Spain and United States. Those in the initial stages of formation include a deacon who is getting ready for priestly ordination, 10 temporarily professed students, four novices, 23 postulants doing philosophy and 12 aspirants.

We gratefully remember the pioneers of the three East African missions and other missionaries who rendered their service for the growth of the East African mission. In a special way we remember late Fr. Aloysius Chikwendu, first novice master in East Africa, who has gone before us to intercede for us with our heavenly Father.

The 15 Claretian communities in East Africa render services in 12 parishes, four schools, three technical/vocational training schools, one health centre, one alternative clinic, one catechetical training centre and one laity formation centre besides the publication ministry in East Africa. Claretians also actively take part in the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) ministries.

The seed of the Word of God planted in the heart of St. Anthony Mary Claret in Catalunia, Spain in the 19^th century continues to grow in East Africa. May the zeal of St. Claret for the Word of God, continue to spread its roots in the East African region through the efforts of the Claretians!