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August
8, 2005 
VOL.
43, NO. 14Oakland,
CA
Eight arrested in murder of Kenya bishop
The death of Bishop Luigi Locati of Isiolo, Kenya, who
was assassinated in an ambush last month, has left his community of nomadic
tribes grieving for a pastor who dedicated his life to serving the needy
of all ethnic groups.
Bishop Locati, 76, was ordained in 1952 in Italy and spent most of his
priestly life in Kenya, arriving there in 1962 to work in the missions.
For 32 years he was pastor of a church in Isiolo, a town in the north
of Kenya, and was named first bishop of the new apostolic vicariate of
Isiolo in 1995.
Shortly before his death, he met with Pope Benedict XVI and learned the
Pope had accepted his request to retire.
The attack took place on July 14, not long after Bishop Locati had come
back from a meeting in Nairobi. He was returning to his residence after
dining at a nearby pastoral center, when a group of armed men knocked
him down and shot him in the head and neck.
The bishop had received threats on his life in the past, and according
to Catholic News Service, some officials believe his death was linked
to ethnic violence that killed more than 60 victims, mostly women and
children, in the days before he was attacked. The Borana and Gabra tribes
have been feuding over cattle theft and water rights.
CNS also reported that authorities arrested eight men in connection with
the murder, including two local Catholic priests who are members of the
Borana tribe. One priest was administrator of two schools that Bishop
Locati had recently closed.
The schools were deeply in debt and had begun admitting only Borana students.
Bishop Locati had insisted that all tribal groups have access to Catholic
schools.
“Whoever killed Bishop Locati has cut off the hands that fed him,”
said Bishop Martin Kivuva Musonde of Machakos.
The murdered prelate was known and loved for his work on behalf of all
tribes and religions in the surrounding area and had recently succeeded
in constructing a Catholic school in the town of Merti.
Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki called the assassination of Bishop
Locati “a repugnant act, a great loss, not only for Catholics.”
He said officials would make the greatest effort possible to bring the
murderers to justice because the bishop had served the region “with
selfless and immense devotion.”
Bishop
Luigi Locati, who had visited Rome after the election of Pope Benedict
XVI, was assassinated July 14.
REUTERS/Osservatore Romano/File
