Missionary priest Gabriel Dolan has received the Fr Kaiser Award for Human Rights for his work in Kenya concerning human rights and care for the people, according to the Catholic Information Service for Africa.

As an organizer of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Kitale Diocese, Dolan has devoted his life to serving others in his church. Two policemen from Kitale police who arrested him November 2003 over protests concerning government land-mishandling have in fact became born again Christians. Dolan had been blocking the motorcade of the vice-president.

"To be recognized and honoured by the people whom I have been sent to serve as a missionary gives me a joy that cannot be adequately addressed," said Dolan.

The Fr Kaiser Award is given by the Law Society of Kenya and was presented this year by the Kenyan Vice-president, Moody Awori. The vice-president was initially against Gabriel Dolan and his forthright protests of government policies but has since had a change of heart.