Former Meru Diocese Bishop Silas Silvius Njiru, who raised DCI George Kinoti and his six siblings, has died of Covid-19 at the age of 91.
The bishop, who retired in 2004, died on Tuesday at Rivoli Hospital in the Italian metropolitan city of Turin. He was diagnosed with the virus last Friday.
His death was announced by the secretary general of the Consolata Missionaries, Fr Pedro Jose da Silva Luoro. The prelate resided at the Blessed Joseph Allamano house in Alpignano, Turin, Italy.
Luoro eulogised Njiru as a clergyman of integrity, who dedicated his service to the well-being of the people of God.
Kinoti said in an exclusive interview in December 2018 that his mother was a staunch Catholic and that after their father abandoned them, he suffered from malnutrition and a bone ailment.
“I lived in a children’s home during holidays, had poor health but The Sisters of Nazareth took good care of me,” the DCI said.
Njiru's generosity and kindness inspired Kinoti to think of becoming a priest. “I felt that there was nothing I could give back other than studying priesthood,” he said.
However, the bishop discouraged Kinoti from quitting his university studies for priestly studies. He advised Kinoti to instead undertake paramilitary training at NYS. This ended his hope for the priesthood and started his journey to the police profession.
It was Bishop Njiru who wrote to the then Commissioner of Police Philip Kilonzo introducing Kinoti. The influence of the bishop in his life made him religious to the extent that he never took off his rosary. Pope John Paul II blessed the rosary more than 30 years ago. He also prays several times a day.
Njiru was born at Kevote in Embu in 1928. His elder brother was the late Bishop Emilio Njiru, the first Catholic African bishop of Eldoret.
Njiru was ordained a priest in December 1955 and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Meru in October 1975 before becoming a bishop in January 1976.
He was appointed Bishop of Meru Diocese in December 1976, a position he held for 28 years until he retired in 2004.
He was succeeded by Bishop Salesius Mugambi, the current bishop of the diocese.
Njiru is the second African Prelate to die of coronavirus-related complications after Bishop Gérard Mulumba Kalemba of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who died on April 15 aged 82.
Edited by Frank Obonyo
