BREAKING NEWS! PROMINENT BISHOP COLLAPSES AND DIES.

Famous retired Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Maseno South Diocese Bishop Francis Mwayi Abiero has died.

The clergy who breathed his last on Friday morning is reported to have collapsed at YMCA in South B, Nairobi, where he had a meeting.

His son Aaron Mwayi toldNation.Aficathat he developed breathing complications before being rushed to Nairobi Hospital but died on his way to the facility.

He said that the news of his sudden death caught the family and close friends by surprise, as he had no history of sickness.

“He was in high spirits yesterday when I dropped him at Kisumu International Airport to catch a flight to Nairobi,” he said.

ODM leader Raila Odinga said Bishop Abiero served with dedication, humility, integrity, kindness and compassion.

“The bishop paid tremendous attention to building physical infrastructure for the church to reflect the importance of faith in our individual lives and the life of our nation,” he said.

Social welfare

The former Prime Minister lauded him for leaving an outstanding legacy of using faith to promote social welfare particularly in the areas of education, health and protection of widows, orphans, the elderly and other vulnerable members of society.

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o while terming his demise as shocking hailed him for being a steadfast and amiable cleric who stood against injustices in society.

“I have learned with great shock about the sudden death of my friend,” he said in his condolence message.

“He was a student of former Maseno South Diocese Bishop, Henry Okullu, one of the fiery church leaders who used the pulpit to campaign for the democratic space in Kenya,” added Prof Nyong’o.

Bishop Abiero was consecrated as the head of Maseno South Diocese in September 1994 following the retirement of Bishop Okullu.

For 24 years, he steered the diocese to greater heights and oversaw the opening of more archdeaconries and the construction of the historic St Stephen Church in Kisumu.

“Even in retirement, Bishop Abiero continued to preach the word of God,” said the county chief.

His father has left behind a wife and four children.

By Nation