The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kenya

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kenya refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Kenya. In 1981, two small congregations were created in Kenya (Nairobi and Kiboko). In 2022, there were 17,438 members in 57 congregations.[4] On April 2, 2017, church president Thomas S. Monson announced that a temple would be built in Nairobi.[5]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kenya
AreaAfrica Central
Members17,438 (2022)[1]
Stakes2
Districts6
Wards13
Branches44
Total Congregations[2]57
Missions1
Temples1 Under Construction
Family History Centers5[3]

History
Membership in Kenya
YearMembership
198799
1989*300
1995*2,200
19994,039
20046,832
20099,370
201412,471
201914,591
202217,438
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Kenya[1]
English
Swahili
The Book of Mormon in languages spoken in Kenya. The Kisii (Gusii) translation, which only selections have been translated, is not pictured.

The first Kenyans baptized into the LDS Church in Kenya were the family of Elizaphan and Ebisiba Osaka, who were baptized in 1979. The first LDS missionaries began serving in Kenya in 1980. There was only one LDS missionary couple from then until 1989, when the couple was withdrawn. Joseph W. Sitati, who joined the LDS Church along with his family in 1985, was designated the lead elder of the church in Kenya at that point. In February 1991, he met with Daniel arap Moi, president of Kenya. Later that month the attorney general of Kenya gave Sitati and a few other church leaders a form signifying the church was officially recognized.

In July 1991, the Kenya Nairobi Mission was organized, with Larry King Brown as president. The first LDS meeting house was completed in Nairobi in 1994. In 2001 a stake was organized, with Sitati called as president. Sitati later became the first general authority from Kenya.[6] In March 2016, the Nairobi Kenya Stake was divided to form the east and west stake.[7]

In 2020, the mission headquartered in Nairobi mission was divided with the creation of the Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission.[8] In August 2020, the church organized the new Africa Central Area with its headquarters in Nairobi. The new area oversees the church in 18 countries.[9]

Stakes and districts

As of May 2023, the following Stakes and Districts were located in Kenya:

Stake/District Organized
Eldoret Kenya District 24 Apr 2011
Kilungu Hills Kenya District 12 Oct 2014
Kisumu Kenya District 16 Jun 2019
Kitale Kenya District 9 Apr 2019
Kyulu Kenya District 15 Dec 1992
Mombasa Kenya District 25 Oct 2015
Nairobi Kenya East Stake 9 Sep 2001
Nairobi Kenya South Stake 5 Mar 2023
Nairobi Kenya West Stake 20 Mar 2016

Mission

Temples

On April 2, 2017, Thomas S. Monson announced the intent to construct the Nairobi Kenya Temple in the church's general conference.
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:		 Nairobi, Kenya
2 April 2017 by Thomas S. Monson[10]
11 September 2021 by Joseph W. Sitati[11] on a 3.7-acre (1.5 ha) site

See also

References
  1. "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Kenya", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 10 June 2023
  2. Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches.
  3. Category:Kenya Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved 1 July 2021
  4. Membership statistics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  5. Stevenson, Freeman (April 2, 2017). "5 new temples announced at the 187th Annual General Conference". KSL Channel 5. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  6. Church Almanac (2010 ed.), Deseret News, pp. 514–515
  7. Wekesa, Chrispinus (March 17, 2016), "We are not devil worshippers, Mormon Church tells doubting Thomases", The Star (Kenya), retrieved January 27, 2023
  8. Noyce, David (November 21, 2019), LDS Church to open 8 new missions, stretching from Texas to Tanzania, Salt Lake Tribune, retrieved January 27, 2023
  9. Pugmire, Genelle (Aug 20, 2019), "LDS Church announces Africa Central Area Office", Herald Extra, retrieved January 27, 2019
  10. "President Monson Announces Five New Temples: Mormon temples to be built in South America, Africa, Philippines and US". Newsroom. LDS Church. 2 April 2017.
  11. https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/a-reason-to-hope-nairobi-kenya-temple-groundbreaking?country=kenya
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