Jean-Marie Vianney Twagirayezu is the new Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kibungo after being appointed by Pope Francis announced Rwanda Episcopal Conference on 20th, February, 2023.
He is replacing Cardinal Antione Kambanda who has been in charge of Kibungo diocese that serves over 398,700 catholics and over seeing the whole Catholic church in Rwanda since 2013.
Bishop Twagirayezu was born on 21st July, 1960 in Nyundo parish, studied Philosophy and Theology from 1988-1994 and was ordained Priest in 1995.
Upon completing his Degree in Theology studies from Louvain Catholic University in Belgium, he served as a parish priest in Muramba Parish and served the Director of Caritas Rwanda-Nyundo Diocese from 2000-2002.
In 2002-2009, he was appointed chief accountant for the same diocese and sent back to Louvain Catholic University in Belgium to study business management.
Before his appointment, Bishop Twigirayezu was serving the catholic church in Rwanda as the general secretary of Caritas Rwanda a local charity organization that supports vulnerable people(elderly, people with disabilities, chronically sick, among others).
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kibungo is an ecclesiastical territory of the catholic Church in Rwanda erected on 5th, September, 1986 by Pope John XXIII and a Suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kigali.
Source: Radio Vatican
