Colonel Alfred Rotich was yesterday installed as the new Bishop Catholic Diocese of Kericho in a colourful ceremony attended by thousands of residents.<\/p>\n
Bishop Rotich, a former head of military ordinance, was last year picked by Pope Francis to succeed Bishop Emmanuel Okombo, who has retired after reaching 75 years, the official retirement age for Catholic bishops.It was a carnival mood as song and dance as the congregants received their new bishop, who had served in the Kenya military and resigned in 2016 after attaining the age of 55 years. He becomes the third Bishop of Kericho Diocese.\u00a0Bishop Rotich said the church would continue to remain truthful by voicing its concerns on issues affecting Kenyans.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will speak as the voice of the people and will be true to the calling,\u201d he said.Deputy President William Ruto led a group of leaders including governors Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), Stephen Sang (Nandi) and Hillary Barchok (Bomet) to grace the occasion.Unite all Kenyans<\/p>\n
Others were ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen, Kimani Ichungwa (Kikuyu), Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho), Kipsengeret Koros (Soin\/Sigowet), Beatrice Kones (Bomet East), Silvanus Maritim (Ainamoi), Japheth Mutai (Bureti), Joseph Limo (Kipkelion East), Hilary Kosgei (Kipkelion West), Christopher Langat (Bomet), Gideon Kosgei (Chepalungu) and Florence Bore (Women Rep, Kericho).Bishop Rotich, who is the current Chairman of the Commission for Ecumenism, was\u00a0 baptised by Fr Louis Linden, a Mill Hill Missionary and received the first Holy communion on April 23 1971, in Kericho Parish.<\/p>\n
He is also Vice Chairman of the Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue and vice chairman of the Family Life National Office.Born in 1957 in Tegat Parish in Bomet County, the bishop, a second child\u00a0 of the late John Kerich and his wife Magdalene, Bishop Rt Rev Rotich has had a chequered career within the church\u2019s ranks as well as the Kenya Defence Forces, which he served as a chaplain.The new bishop was\u00a0ordained as a priest in November 1983 at Kipchimchim parish and was sent to Kaplong Parish to begin his serviceBishop Rotich becomes the second Catholic bishop to be installed this year after the Eldoret Diocese\u2019s Rev Dominic Kimengich on February 1.<\/p>\n
The leaders urged the church to pray for leaders to unite all Kenyans.Governor Sang said the church should take its rightful place in management of the country, noting that the level of deceit among leaders particularly on matters of BBI were shocking.\u201cWhat is going on in the country through BBI is simply burning bridges and not building.As leaders, we must be sincere and tell Kenyans the truth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Kimemia said leaders should take the lead in the fight against tribalism.\u201cBBI should address problems affecting the people, including poor tea and coffee prices among other challenges facing Kenyans,\u201d Kimemia said.Mudavadi said churches should pray so that leaders put aside their differences and embrace the unity of all Kenyans.\u201cKenya is for all and we must embrace each other. We have faith the church will unite the country,\u201d Mudavadi said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Colonel Alfred Rotich was yesterday installed as the new Bishop Catholic Diocese of Kericho in a colourful ceremony attended by thousands of residents. Bishop Rotich, a former head of military ordinance, was last year picked by Pope Francis to succeed Bishop Emmanuel Okombo, who has retired after reaching 75 years, the official retirement age for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,4,8],"tags":[1455,1456,1085],"class_list":["post-2694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","category-culture-and-art","category-homepage-english","tag-alfred-rotich","tag-bishop-catholic-diocese-of-kericho","tag-catholic"],"yoast_head":"\n