Rose Okeno

Okeno born in the 1960s as Rose Nereya Ayiemba, is the fifth born in a family of nine siblings from Eshibanga village in Butere. She is a mother of four children and wife of Reverend Elishamo Okeno. She attended Lirembe Girls Secondary School in Kakamega County from 1986 to 1989. Okeno has a certificate in Pastoral Studies (1998 to 2000). She has a bachelor's degree in theology from Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) (2003 to 2007). == Community service and legacy ==

Rose Okeno is the first woman elected Diocesan Bishop in the Anglican Church of Kenya. She is the 5th African Anglican woman bishop consecrated soon after Emily Onyango's consecration in January 2021. She was consecrated and enthroned as Bishop on September 12,2021 by the sixth Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya,Rev.Jackson Ole Sapit. She is the fourth elected and consecrated bishop of the Diocese of Butere. She underlines the church’s role in addressing spiritual, cultural and socio-economic challenges in the society through spiritual, psycho-social and socio-economic support. She spearheaded Butere Women's comprehensive funeral service project, and established Young Mothers network groups in the diocese which transform lives through economic empowerment. Okeno is a testament that ordination of women is crucial not only for the leadership of the church, but for the well-being of society at large. She advocates for the rights and empowerment of girls and children, women, and the marginalized in society by responding to their needs and calling out those in positions of influence who subvert justice. == Dispute ==

The Global Anglican Future Conference, known as GAFCON met in Jerusalem, Israel June 17–22, 2018. At this conference GAFCON called for a moratorium on the ordination of women, "until such a time when a consensus is reached". == Female Anglican Bishops in Africa ==

• Bishop Ellinah Ntombi Wamukoya was ordained as bishop of Swaziland Diocese in Southern Africa in 2012. She died of COVID-19 in January 2021. • Bishop Margaret Vertue was elected bishop in October 2012 and consecrated in 2013 in the South African Diocese of False Bay. • Bishop Emily Onyango was consecrated assistant bishop of Bondo in Kenya on January 20, 2021. • Bishop Rose Okeno was consecrated as a full bishop of Butere Diocese in Kenya on September 12, 2021. • Right. Rev Dr Vicentia Refiloe Kgabe is the twelfth and current Bishop Anglican Diocese of Pretoria in South Africa. She was previously the seventh bishop of Diocese of Lesotho, before, 22 September 2025, when the Electoral College of Bishops elected her to become Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Pretoria. • The Right Rev. Dr Dalcy Dlamini is the second woman bishop in Eswatini, and the fourth woman bishop in the Province of Southern Africa. She succeeds Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya. == References ==