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The history of the Anglicanism of Kenya goes back to 1844
The history of the Anglicanism of Kenya goes back to 1844 when the first Anglican Missionaries arrived from the CMS (Church Mission Society). In 1921 St. John’s Church Nairobi located at Jackson Road (currently parliament grounds) was moved to Pumwani. In replacement of St. John’s church, the Highland Cathedral (All Saints Cathedral) and the St. Stephen’s Church Jogoo Road were started. The St. Stephen’s Church foundation stone was laid down by Mrs. Ernest Carr on 23rd June 1923.
When St. Stephen’s Church was moved from Jackson Road (the current parliament building site) to Jogoo Road,
it was meant to be the Anglican African Cathedral as All Saints Cathedral was already serving the white settlers community. The church immediately found a building congregation as it was built amid an African residential area. The railway workers in the nearby Makongeni estate, Government Quarters, Bahati, Mbotela, Landmawe, Muthurwa, Shaurimoyo, Makadara, and the up-coming Maringo estates, supplied an immediate congregation. The new church had been fitted with a pipe Organ which had been sourced from South Africa. The nearby Church Army College provided an immediate clergy support. One of the sisters in Church Army, Sister Martin started playing the organ even as she encouraged congregational singing.
A music teacher, the late Prof. George Senoga Zake, was sourced from the nearby St. Pauls primary school in Mbotela estate. The Late Prof. Zake was encouraged by the Late Graham Hyslop, the then organist at the All Saints Cathedral, to start a choir at St. Stephens Church. The St. Stephen’s Church Choir was therefore formed in 1956 by Prof. Zake who taught the full musical Liturgy according to the Anglican tradition as was done at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi and Namirembe Cathedral in Uganda. Chants of the day were sang and an attempt was made to learn all the hymns of the Nyimbo Standard as per the church calendar.
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Dedication
St. Stephen’s Church Jogoo Road was dedicated by The most Rev. Dr. David Gitari as the Cathedral Church of the Nairobi Diocese on 1st September 2002.
St.Stephen’s Church Clergy
The Vicars who have served at St. Stephen’s Cathedral Church are as under:
1918 Rev. Canon John Burus.
1924 The Rev. Pitwat
1957 The Rev. Canon Elijah Gachanja
1963 The Rev. Edwin Adinya
1968 The Rev. Boaz Oduma
1974 The Rev. Peter Indalo
1976 The Rev. Luke Makolo
1979 The Rev. Peter Mwakio
1984 The Rev. Canon Gilbert Amimo
1993 The Rev. James Kinyanjui
1995 The Rev. Canon Joseph Mwangi Ngoro
1997 Ven. Canon John Ndung’u Ngooro
2003 The Rev. Canon Muriithi Stephen Wamugi
2004 The Very Ven. Canon John Ndung’u
2013 Rev. Canon Joshua Benson Omungo
2018 Very Rev. Canon Paul Mwangi Kariuki