NAIROBI, Aug. 25 (CWNews.com)

    A US priest who had been a vocal critic of the Kenyan government was found shot dead on Thursday, just days after telling associates he feared for his life.

    Father John Kaiser, 68, a Mill Hill Missionary originally from Minnesota, was found dead with a single bullet wound to head outside of the town of Naivasha 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the capital Nairobi. Father Kaiser had accused two government ministers of orchestrating tribal fighting and was then ordered to leave the country last year. The decision was later revoked after protests.

    Opposition MP Paul Muite said Kaiser had spoken of threats made against him by political enemies when the two men met last month. "In his discussions with me, Kaiser expressed fears for his life and named certain people," he said. "I have no doubts at all that Father Kaiser's death is a political assassination."

    Father Cornelius Schilder, the priest's immediate supervisor, said Father Kaiser appeared tense and restless on Wednesday afternoon. He had agreed to stay with friends that night but changed his mind. He then spoke of his fears to Father Francis Mwangi before going to bed and when Father Mwangi came to find him about 7 pm, the missionary had disappeared.

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