Karonga Diocese

LOCAL ORDINARY:
Right Reverend Martin Anwel Mtumbuka was born on 5th August, 1957 in Majimbula Village, in Rumphi District to Anwel Mtumbuka and Wynes Mbale. He was ordained priest on 31st July, 1988, at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Mzuzu. Pope Benedict XVI appointed Rev. Fr Martin Anwel Mtumbuka Bishop of the new Diocese of Karonga on 21st July, 2010.

MOTTO: WE SHALL GO TO THEM

HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Diocese of Karonga is situated in the Northern Part of Malawi that boarders with Tanzania and Zambia. Karonga as a  Diocese was created on the 21st of July 2010 and its official inauguration was done on 20th November 2010. On the same day Rt. Rev. Martin Anwel Mtumbuka was ordained Bishop of the new Diocese.

The Diocese is devided into two deaneries which are subdivided into six parishes namely; St Anne’s Pro Cathedral Parish, St Mary’s Parish, St Steven’s Parish found in Karonga Deanery, and St Mattias Parish, St Michael’s Parish and St Ignatius of Loyola Parish found in Chitipa Deanery. There is also St Joseph the worker sub-parish found in Karonga Deanery

The Diocese covers the geographical districts of Karonga and Chitipa including northern part of Rumphi. It covers an area of 12,000 square kilometres with a population of 467,000 of whom about 65,000 are Catholics. The area under this Diocese is the remotest and poorest part of Malawi. The territory is largely hilly and mountainous, which makes the movement of both goods and people very difficult. Communication infrastructures such as roads and telecommunication networks are not developed. This means it is extremely difficult for priests to meet the people entrusted to their care.

The Diocese of Karonga lies in the disaster prone area. Of late, the Diocese has been affected by a series of disasters, some of which have led to loss of life and property. These have mainly been earthquakes (tremors), floods and drought which have seriously affected some parts of the Diocese.