Murder of Kenyan National in South Sudan Part of “horror of human acts”: Catholic Bishop Denounces Violence

Yei, 05 August, 2025 / 9:37 PM

The Local Ordinary of South Sudan’s Catholic Diocese of Yei has denounced the July 31 killing of a Kenyan national contracted by members of the Missionary Society of the  Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) to reconstruct the Priests' Residence at Holy Trinity Morobo Parish of his Episcopal See.

In a statement shared with ACI Africa, Bishop Alex Lodiong Sakor Eyobo expressed sorrow over the killing of “Civil Engineer” James Kariuki, allegedly shot dead by a suspected armed group in South Sudan’s Yei County in the morning as he drove to Koboko, a town in the Northern part of neighbouring Uganda.

“I make this statement with a heavy heart after having listened to testimonies, visited the scene and witnessed the horror of human acts,” Bishop Lodiong said.

He said that the late Kenyan national “suffered bullet wounds and burns on his body as his car was set ablaze by sporadic shooting.”

The South Sudanese Bishop noted that a member of the suspected armed group behind the murder was gunned down at the scene by government security forces, although no group has formally “claimed responsibility for the killing as it has often happened in South Sudan.”

“Witnesses to the incident strongly believe that the assailants belong to the armed opposition groups spread in and around the territory of greater Yei,” Bishop Lodiong has said.

He strongly denounced the murder and referring to scripture said, “One thing is clear: God is the ultimate witness, because the innocent blood of James Kariuki is crying to Him from the ground (Gen. 4:10).”

On August 2, Bishop Lodiong visited the scene of the July 31 ambush, where the late Kenyan had succumbed to his gunshot wounds, and performed a sacramental rite. The Bishop was accompanied by the Vice Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) alongside the Parish Priest of Holy Family Lainya Parish.

In his statement dated August 4, the Local Ordinary of Yei Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in May 2022 emphasizes that the killing of the builder engaged by SDB members will not derail Church ministry.

“The violent murder of Engineer James does not constitute, in any way, an intimidation or a threat to our pastoral and missionary work. We will continue to offer our pastoral and social services to every human being wherever they are, as resources may allow us,” he says.

Bishop Lodiong further says that the reconstruction of the Priests' residence that the late builder was overseeing “in view” of SDB members’ return to Holy Trinity Morobo Parish “to serve the people of God in the area” following their temporary departure some nine years ago will continue.

“The Salesians of Don Bosco were entrusted with pastoral care of Holy Trinity Parish by the authority of the Catholic Diocese of Yei since 2014. However, due to the violent conflict in the Country that erupted in 2016, they had to leave the parish temporarily,” he says.

In his August 4 statement, the 54-year-old South Sudanese Catholic Church leader describes the killing of James Kariuki as “purposeless” and urged armed groups in South Sudan to refrain from targeting innocent civilians.

“It is a purposeless attack, because it doesn't solve the problems which have disappointed and angered us. Let us catch the bull by its horns and not the calf instead,” said the Bishop of Yei, cautioning that such attacks only serve to “aggregate the grievances.”

He continues, “My humble and heartfelt appeal to my fellow South Sudanese enrolled in the armed groups (whether within or outside government circles) is that, violent attacks on innocent civilians, whether being nationals or foreign nationals, will not solve the grievances we have in South Sudan.”

“Let us follow the path of dialogue and reason to solve our political, social, economic and ethnic problems,” Bishop Lodiong appeals.

He emphasizes, “Military means only suppresses the problems for a moment but it does not solve them. The one who has ears to hear, let him/her hear (Mt. 11:15).”