Retired Kenyan Bishop, Second African Prelate to Succumb to COVID-19

He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Meru in October 1975, and ordained a Bishop in January 1976. He was appointed Bishop of Meru diocese in December 1976, a position he held for 28 years when he retired in 2004. 

He was succeeded by Bishop Salesius Mugambi, the current Bishop of the diocese.

The Late Bishop Silas dedicated his service to the well-being of the people of God in the community. He was instrumental in helping Kenya's Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), George Kinoti and his six siblings who had been abandoned by their father, ensuring they were well taken care of. 

Because of Bishop Silas' influence, the young George Kinoti wanted to be Priest, the DCI was quoted as saying in an interview with Kenya’s Star newspaper.

Meanwhile, Congolese Bishop Gérard Mulumba Kalemba who also succumbed to COVID-19 was laid to rest April 16 at the St. Kaggwa Seminary cemetery in the capital of DRC, Kinshasa.

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He had been undergoing care at the Ngaliema clinic in Kinshasa before his death, RECOWA reported. 

The late Bishop Mulumba was uncle to the current President of DRC, Felix Tshisekedi. 

In March, the Bishop of Ethiopia’s Gambella Vicariate also succumbed to the pandemic. The Italian-born Bishop, Angelo Moreschi died while undergoing treatment in his home country aged 67.

Africa has recorded at least 33,500 cases of COVID-19, including 10,150 recoveries and 1460 deaths, according to the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.