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 2025, there were 24,547 members in 57 congregations.Membership statistics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints On April 2, 2017, church president Thomas S. Monson announced that a temple would be built in Nairobi.

History

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 There was only one LDS missionary couple from then until 1989, when the couple was withdrawn.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. In March 2016, the Nairobi Kenya Stake was divided to form the east and west stake.

In 2020, the mission headquartered in Nairobi mission was divided with the creation of the Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission. 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.

Stakes and districts Stake/DistrictOrganized MissionBomet Kenya District8 Mar 2026Kenya KisumuBungoma Kenya District7 Dec 2025Kenya KisumuBusia Kenya District13 Jan 2019Kenya KisumuEldoret Kenya District24 Apr 2011Kenya KisumuKilungu Hills Kenya District12 Oct 2014Kenya Nairobi EastKisii Kenya District20 Sep 2026Kenya KisumuKisumu Kenya District16 Jun 2019Kenya KisumuKitale Kenya District9 Apr 2019Kenya KisumuKwale Kenya District24 May 2026Kenya Nairobi EastKyulu Kenya Stake14 July 2024Kenya Nairobi EastMakindu Kenya District7 Dec 2025Kenya Nairobi EastMombasa Kenya District25 Oct 2015Kenya Nairobi EastNairobi Kenya East Stake9 Sep 2001Kenya Nairobi WestNairobi Kenya South Stake5 Mar 2023Kenya Nairobi EastNairobi Kenya West Stake20 Mar 2016Kenya Nairobi WestNakuru Kenya District11 May 2025Kenya Nairobi WestVihiga Kenya District23 Mar 2025Kenya Kisumu

Missions Kenya Nairobi West Mission Kenya Nairobi East Mission Kenya Kisumu Mission (1 July 2026)

Temples On April 2, 2017, Thomas S. Monson announced the intent to construct the Nairobi Kenya Temple in the church's general conference.

See also

Religion in Kenya

References

External links The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Africa South Area The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official site