Office of the Vice Chancellor

Very Rev. Prof. Elias Omondi Opongo, SJ serves as the Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, bringing decades of academic excellence, administrative expertise, and unwavering commitment to the university's mission of faith-based education.

Under his transformative leadership, CUEA continues to experience growth in academic programs, research output, and international collaborations. Prof. Opongo's vision centers on positioning CUEA as a leading center of excellence that integrates Catholic values with cutting-edge scholarship and innovation.

His distinguished academic career spans multiple disciplines, with extensive publications in peer-reviewed journals, authorship of influential books, and presentations at international conferences. Very Rev. Prof. Opongo's scholarly contributions have significantly advanced knowledge in his field while inspiring generations of students and faculty.

As Vice-Chancellor, he champions holistic student development, academic rigor, research innovation, and community engagement. His strategic leadership ensures that CUEA remains committed to producing morally upright, intellectually competent graduates who serve as transformative leaders across Eastern Africa and beyond.

Very Rev. Prof. Elias Omondi Opongo, SJ Vice-Chancellor/Rector

Academic background & publications

Very Rev. Prof. Elias Omondi Opongo, SJ holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Bradford and an MA in International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses on transitional justice, post-conflict reconstruction, state building and community peacebuilding.

PhD, Peace and Conflict Studies — University of Bradford, United Kingdom

MA, International Peace Studies — University of Notre Dame, United States

Transitional justice

Post-conflict reconstruction

State building

Community peacebuilding

Conflict resolution and mediation

Humanitarian action

Climate resilience

Peace studies and international relations — teaching experience documented by the University of Notre Dame academic profile

Former Dean — Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR)

Academic experience in research, training and publications at Hekima University College

Opongo, E. O., & Murithi, T. (2022). Elections, Violence and Transitional Justice in Africa. Routledge.

Modi, L. P., Opongo, E. O., & Smith, R. D. (2019). South Sudan’s Costly Conflict and the Urgent Role of Religious Leaders. The Review of Faith & International Affairs.

Opongo, E. O. (2022). Enhancing Conflict Resolution in Africa. In The Palgrave Handbook of Sustainable Peace and Security in Africa. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82020-6_29

Opongo, E. O. (2020). The Red Terror of the Derg regime.

Opongo, E. O. (2025). Parachute Peacebuilding: Interrogating NGO Peace and Development in Africa. In The Palgrave Handbook of Peace, Conflict and Security Studies in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92924-3_7

Opongo, E. O. (2019). Refugee Undesirability and Economic Potentials: Questioning Encampment Policy in Forced Migration. In Refugees and Forced Migration in the Horn and Eastern Africa. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03721-5_7

Elias O. Opongo, SJ (2020). Amani Mashinani Conflict Transformation Model: Bishop Korir’s Legacy on Peace and Reconciliation. The Journal of Social Encounters. https://doi.org/10.69755/2995-2212.1037

Opongo, E. O. (2022). Democracy, Citizen Participation and Peace Economics in Kenya: Interrogating the Social Change Processes. The Journal of Social Encounters, 6(1), 62–83. https://doi.org/10.69755/2995-2212.1115

Opongo, E. (2017). Knowledge and Policy Gaps in Extractive Industries in Kenya. SSRN Electronic Journal.

CUEA Welcomes New Rector and Vice-Chancellor — 1st September 2026 — CUEA, Langata Campus — Assumption of office of CUEA's new Rector and Vice-Chancellor following an orderly handover ceremony preceded by Holy Mass.