‘The world is full of good people. If you can’t find one, strive to be one’. This quote perfectly captures the life and mission of Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri.
Archbishop Anthony Muheria has recently found himself thrust into the limelight after calling out President William Ruto’s government. He urged Kenyans to hold the administration accountable for neglecting the urgent needs of Kenya’s poor and vulnerable communities.
Archbishop Muheria criticized the government for introducing policies that are causing more harm than good. The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops supported his remarks. They accused President Ruto of lacking integrity and failing to fulfil his promises in what they described as ‘a culture of lies’.
“The culture of lies is swiftly replacing the integrity and respect Kenyans deserve. It seems truth no longer exists. Sadly, Kenyans have tolerated these lies from politicians. They must learn not to validate the falsehoods politicians tell them,” the bishops asserted.
The clergy also condemned the alarming rise in orchestrated crimes such as abductions, forced disappearances, torture, killings and the recent surge in femicide cases. This bold stance by the Bishops drew distaste from some political figures allied with the president.
“Muheria lacks the moral authority to criticize the current regime because he is akin to doublespeak. The cleric is on record for backing the past regime even when it was clear it had failed Kenyans and must be bold enough to steer away from tribal politics,” a key Rift Valley politician wrote on his X platform.
It remains to be seen how the clergy will work to de-escalate the tension they’ve stirred, especially after the President hit back at them for ‘spreading misinformation’.
In this article, we take a closer look at the little-known personal life of Nyeri Archbishop Anthony Muheria.
Anthony Muheria Profile
Archbishop Anthony Muheria was born on May 27, 1963, in Kaburugi, a small town in Central Kenya. He is the third of eight siblings. One of his brothers is Patrick Njoroge, the former Central Bank of Kenya Governor, who served from June 2015 to June 2023.
Muheria schooled for his A-Levels at Strathmore College between 1979 and 1980. However, unknown to many, Muheria wields the title ‘Engineer’ after training and successfully completing a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nairobi in 1984.
Nearly 5 years after beginning his Engineering practice at Gathaiya Njagi & Partners, Muheria made an unexpected move by resigning and moving to the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome for a degree in Theology.
“I worked from 1984 up to mid-1989 when I answered my second call that is a story that the papers carried during my ordination. I think it is also good to focus on a person’s calling and this has nothing to do with an individual’s qualifications in terms of degrees,” Muheria stated.
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Anthony Muheria was ordained priest on June 13th 1993 and records indicate he hasn’t turned back to the white-collar industry. Early ministry works involve serving local communities and engaging in church activities.
Archbishop Muheria was appointed to serve as the Bishop of Embu in October 2003. Later in 2008, he was appointed Bishop of Kitui Archdiocese. In 2017, he was promoted to the role of Archbishop of Nyeri, one of Kenya’s largest dioceses.
Anthony Muheria chairs the Anti-Corruption Campaign Committee in the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).
