Kalenjin elders to give Pope Francis a Sh250,000 bull

A group of Kalenjin elders from Rift Valley have prepared a gift to be presented to Pope Francis.

The elders drawn from various Kalenjin sub-tribes said they will give the Pope a Sh250,000 bull as an appreciation for his visit.

Mr Simon Ng’eny said preparations are underway on how a 27-man delegation will travel to Nairobi where the elders will hand the Pope the bull.

Last month, he said, the elders  wrote to the Pope, through the head of the Catholic church in Kenya John Cardinal Njue, requesting  the pontiff to meet them and receive the gift.

Mr Nge’ny told the Nation they will meet the head of Eldoret Catholic Diocese Bishop Cornelius Korir to finalize the arrangements for the trip.

“We will meet the Bishop at his office in Eldoret for final the touches on the trip,” said Mr Ng’eny.

PRAY FOR PEACE

He wants the Pope to pray for the country during his visit so it can overcome the many challenges threatening to tear it apart.

“There is danger when leaders are not speaking  in one voice. That is why we are calling for spiritual intervention during the Pontiff’s tour of Kenya.”

Mr Ng’eny said the country is yet to reconcile since the 2007/2008 post-election violence because of incitement by leaders.

The Kalenjin Welfare Association chairman also tore  into institutions put in place to check excesses of leaders accusing them of sleeping on the job.

“Leaders must weigh their utterances ahead of the next elections,” he added.