Nairobi — NYERI Catholic Archbishop Nicodemus Kirima died at Nairobi Hospital, on Tuesday.

Kirima, 71, was born in 1936 in Karatina, Nyeri, and has been ailing for the past five years. He was flown to Nairobi Hospital in a coma on November 4.

Kirima served the Catholic Church for more than four decades, having been ordained on December 22, 1962.

He was appointed bishop of Mombasa in February 1978.

In 1988, he was moved to Nyeri to take over from the late Bishop Caesar Gatimu.

In 1990, Pope John Paul II elevated the Nyeri Diocese and named Kirima Archbishop.

The Nyeri Archdiocese, where Kirima served for 19 years was on Tuesday plunged into mourning following his demise.

Three weeks ago, he developed complications while undergoing treatment in Nyeri. He has had a kidney problem since 2002.

The prelate had undergone a successful kidney transplant in 2002.

His health improved considerably until last year, when he developed kidney failure while on a trip to the US.

The Chairman of Nyeri Archdiocese Catholic Priests Association, Father Donatus Mathenge, said the Archbishop died shortly after 3pm.

"Our shepherd has gone to be with our Father in heaven. We held prayers at Mathari," he said.

In 2002, the Pope appointed Archbishop John Njue (now Cardinal), who was then the bishop of Embu, to help Kirima.