by Stephen Musyoka, Nairobi
The warm rays of sunlight reflected on the green supple, succulent leaves of the young tree. Hundreds of supporters of truth and justice thronged the tree, now two years old since it was planted to commemorate Fr. John Anthony Kaiser’s 5th anniversary since he was found brutally murdered on the morning of August 24 in the year 2000.
They were not here to mourn but to celebrate. After seven solid years of pushing and shoving along the corridors of justice, their struggle had finally borne fruits and the truth was out. Fr. John Anthony Kaiser had not committed suicide as indicated in the findings of the acclaimed Federal Bureau of Investigations report.
And they set off for a procession flagged off by Bishop of Ngong Diocese, Bishop Cor Schilder. From Mary of God Catholic Church in Embul-bul, they marched on singing victory songs and stopping at six designated spots where they had planted tree seedlings two years ago. A prayer was made for the Youths of Kenya, against female genital mutilation, for internally displaced persons, for the unborn babies who are denied their right to life through abortion and for all martyrs particularly Kenyans who had died in their quest for truth and justice. The procession ended up at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Ngong and it was notable that the march had grown to a large mass of crowd who were present to express solidarity with one of their own.
The anniversary march of 2006
Present at the mass was Bishop Colin Davies, Bishop Peter Kairo, Fr. Willem Klaver, Fr. Theodore Wubbles, Fr. Vincent Wambugu among other priests, nuns and lay faithful. A copy of the report was presented as an offertory symbol by Mbuthi Githenji, a lawyer who has steadfastly worked in seeing the truth out.
Fr. Anthony Chantry, the Mill Hill Missionaries Superior General challenged the world’s most respected spy team to come clean on the investigations surrounding the death of the 68 year old priest who had spent 20 years serving in the Kisii Diocese.
He thanked all those who had dedicated their efforts, time and resources to see that the truth had strived and justice served. He encouraged the hundreds of Catholics faithful present at the mass to be courageous to speak and act against the many injustices that happen.
Lawyer Mbuthi Gathenji, who had represented the Catholic Church and the family of the Late Fr. Kaiser at the legal proceedings, recalled Fr. Kaiser as a leader who respected life and couldn’t take his own life. He called on the Kenyan police to conduct fresh investigations and called on all those who had previously distanced themselves from giving evidence to come out and give their evidence.
Mr. Mbuthi Gathenji, the lawyer leading the case
The Chairman of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Bishop Peter Kairo, thanked the faithful present for showing solidarity with their efforts and said that one step had been covered and that was de-stigmatising the Late Kaiser from the suicide theory. He urged the government to take up the rest of the task and bring the perpetrators to book and also solve the many mysterious deaths of other nationalists. He also pushed for action to be taken on the numerous reports from inquests submitted to the government especially the Akiwumi report where the Late Kaiser testified.
He further advised Kenyans to be wary of politicians who advocated for violence during this general elections year and called for them to live by the principles of the late Kaiser of respect for life and saying no to bloodshed.
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