Catholic bishop Lele dies aged 67

Retired Catholic Archbishop of Mombasa Boniface Lele died Wednesday at 67.

The archbishop, described as a down-to-earth leader who put his flock first, will also be remembered for expanding the church during the eight years he was in charge of the Mombasa congregation.

“He lived in Nyali constituency and I knew him well. He was humble and lived for the faith and was a devotee,” Nyali MP Hezron Awiti Bollo said.

The archbishop, who retired last October due to ill-health, died at Mombasa Hospital where he had been admitted since last Friday.

Holy Ghost Cathedral vicar-general Wilybard Lagho said Archbishop Emeritus Lele succumbed to low blood pressure at 1.30pm.

Priests, nuns, friends and relatives yesterday collected his body from the hospital and took it to Pandya Memorial Hospital where it was preserved.

Fr Lagho said Archbishop Lele (right) will be remembered for his generosity, humility, helpfulness and great devotion to spiritual teachings among Christians.

“A stranger would not realise he was sitting next to a bishop; he was so humble. He was also so generous he would spend his last penny to help those in need,” he said at the Holy Ghost Cathedral.

He said the church grew a lot under his leadership.

“In those eight years, he opened new parishes in four of the six Coast counties — Maungu in Taita Taveta, Decennia in Kilifi, Bangladesh in Mombasa and Kikoneni in Kwale.

“He also started the St Patrick Fathers and Contemplative Evangelisers organisations in Mombasa.”