KIGOMA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. — It is situated in British East Africa, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. It derives from the vicariate formerly called “of Tanganyika.” The evangelization of the region of the Great Lakes began through the work of the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), and the first mission entrusted to them was precisely that of Tanganyika (11 Feb. 1878), which was elevated to a pro-vicariate on 27 Sept. 1880 with a territory that included a large part of the territory of Tanganyika, part of the Belgian Congo, and part of Northern Rhodesia.
By decree of 30 Dec. 1886 and brief of 11 Jan. 1887, the pro-vicariate was divided into three vicariates: Tanganyika in the center, of Unyanyembé (now Tabora) to the east, and of Upper Congo (now, in part, of Budouinville) to the west. The vicariate of Tanganyika had the following boundaries: 1) with the vicariates of Unyanyembé and Upper Congo, and with the apostolic prefectures of Southern Zanguebar (now apostolic vicariate of Dar es-Salaam) and of Nyassa (now apostolic vicariate) on 10 Dec. 1895; 2) with the apostolic vicariate of Upper Congo on 8 Apr. 1911; 3) with the apostolic vicariate of Urra on 12 July 1926; 4) with the apostolic vicariates of Tabora and Bukoba on 12 July 1932, when the mission of the Turu of Tukuyu was erected (now apostolic vicariate of Mbeya). On 10 May 1946, the apostolic vicariate of Tanganyika was further subdivided into two apostolic vicariates, both entrusted to the White Fathers: that of the Uba region to the north, which took the name of K., and that of the Ufipa region to the south, Karema (v.). That of K. has an area of 35,000 sq. km. with a population of over 300,000 inhabitants who speak the Kikuyu language. In 1948 it counted 9,902 Catholics, 2,139 catechumens, 3 indigenous priests, 37 foreign priests, 9 foreign lay brothers, 2 indigenous sisters, 15 foreign sisters, 248 catechists, and 19 teachers.