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Nairobi Catholic Archbishop Urges Respect for Life “from conception” as Retrieval of Bodies Dumped in Quarry Continues

Archbishop Philip Anyolo Subira of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN)

As the retrieval of dismembered bodies tied up in sacks and dumped in an abandoned quarry used as a dumpsite in  Kenya’s Embakasi South Constituency in Nairobi has continued, Archbishop Philip Anyolo Subira of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) has called for respect for human life.

In his Sunday, July 14 homily at St. Benedict's Ruaraka Parish of his Metropolitan See, Archbishop Anyolo weighed in on the “deadly discovery” of mutilated bodies wrapped in sacks that was made on July 12.  

“As we condemn the many deaths that have occurred, we want to encourage families to value life right from conception,” he said, and added, “As we condemn those who take away life because nobody has permission to do that, let us also learn to encourage, support, and nurture life.”

On Monday, July 15, security agencies in Kenya said they had arrested a man, who they said had confessed to be a “serial killer” and that he had murdered 42 women in the last two years, the first murder having been his wife.

"It is crystallising that we are dealing with a serial killer, a psychopathic serial killer, who has no respect for human life; a psychopathic serial killer, who has no respect and dignity for the deceased persons," the Director of Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Amin Mohammed Ibrahim, has been featured saying referring to 33-year-old Collins Jumaisi Khalisia.

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According to the DCI Director, Collins has “confessed to have lured, killed and disposed of 42 female bodies at the dumping site, all murdered between 2022 and as recent as Thursday (July 11”.

At Collins’ house some 200 meters from the dumpsite, the DCI Director has reported finding several mobile phones, identity cards, a machete, industrial rubber gloves, rolls of Sellotape, nylon bags and sacks similar to those that the dismembered bodies retrieved from the dumpsite had been wrapped. 

Collins’ reported confession has raised the question how 42 people could be murdered in a spurn of two years without security agencies noticing.

In his July 14 homily, Archbishop Anyolo said that the Church exists to nurture life, and added, “We receive the Holy Spirit for the reasons that we are called to give life and to create anew through the Holy Spirit the life we live.”

He underscored the need to “die to oneself”, fostering altruism and “a life that is centred on God; a life that changes us.”

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“It changes us as it hurts because we are dying to ourselves and for something,” Archbishop Anyolo said during the July 14 celebration at St. Benedict’s Ruaraka Parish, where he presided over the Family Day and conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation to 322 candidates.

Dying to oneself, the Local Ordinary of Nairobi since November 2021 went on to say, entails a life of self-discovery devoid of self-centeredness. 

The Kenyan Catholic Archbishop explained that through the Sacrament of Confirmation, the people of God are guided on a path of self-discovery, inspired by the Holy Spirit, a situation that leads to inner transformation.

“The Church has an opportunity to revisit every age and generation; at this time, the Church is revisiting those who are baptized and confirming them in the way of baptism as members of Christ,” he said.

Confirmation, Archbishop Anyolo said, “is the Sacrament of the Holy Spirit, which gives you that inner energy. It will enable you to understand for what reason you die to yourself so that many others may be saved.”

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“Today, I want to encourage our youths who are being confirmed: die to yourselves and embrace God. Anybody who is dying to himself or herself wants to embrace something to save him/her,” he said.

“Today, you are being given the Holy Spirit so that the challenges that you go through in your lives, you may behold the Holy Spirit, who will bring you to a better way of life,” the 66-year-old Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in February 1996 as Bishop of Kenya’s Kericho Diocese said.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.