A portrait of the late Bishop Cornelius Korir outside the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Eldoret town. [Photo/Joe Khisa]
A somber mood has engulfed the Eldoret Sacred Heart cathedral following the sudden death of Eldoret Catholic Diocese Bishop Cornelius Korir.
Tears flew freely in the eyes of hundreds of shocked faithful who thronged the Eldoret cathedral church after reports that their bishop had died.
According to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) chairman Bishop Phillip Anyolo, Bishop Korir died while at his house in Elgon View Estate.
"The bishop had complained of fever and cough last night and he was to travel to Karen Hospital this morning for treatment but when we work up this morning he was no longer," Bishop Anyolo told the press in Eldoret on Monday.
Bishop Korir recently came back from a trip to Europe and he was preparing for the ordination of priests in the Eldoret diocese on Saturday.
Many have termed the death of Bishop Korir as a blow to peace-building efforts in the country.
"He was a peace ambassador and all he wanted is to see Kenyans live together in harmony and this is what we will live to remember him," said Alex Kiprop, a member of the Eldoret Catholic church.
Bishop Korir has been involved in many peace buildings activities across the county and he will be remembered for the role he played during the 2007-2008 post-election violence where he hosted over 10,000 people who had been displaced following the skirmished at the Eldoret cathedral church grounds.