Catholic Church responds to Cardinal Njue death claims

By Peter Ochieng

The Catholic Church has dismissed reports indicating that Cardinal John Njue had passed away.

The Church, through a statement by Reverend Wallace Ng'ang'a, Auxiliary Bishop of the Nairobi Archdiocese said the Cardinal is alive and well.

“It has come to our attention that persistent rumours are circulating regarding the alleged death of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue. We wish to categorically state that these claims are entirely false and without foundation,” sad the reverend.

"We kindly urge all to refrain from sharing or entertaining unverified information, particularly on sensitive matters such as this. Should there be any official communication regarding His Eminence's health or any other matter, it will be conveyed through official Church channels."

"We ask that you continue to keep Cardinal Njue in your prayers and we wish him continued good health and blessings,” he added.

Cardinal Njue was last seen in public on September 8, 2024 while leading a mass at the Divine Mercy Catholic Parish in Kariobangi South, Nairobi.

Njue is the second Cardinal in Kenya’s history, after the late Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga who died in 2003. He was born in Embu, Kenya, on 1 January 1946, before being baptised in 1948 and entered the minor seminary in Nkubu in 1962.

From 1967 to 1974, he furthered his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Urbaniana University. On 6 January 1973, Njue was ordained to the priesthood by Pope Paul VI in St. Peter's Basilica.

On 9 June 1986, Njue was appointed Bishop of Embu by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 20 September from Jozef Cardinal Tomko, the co-consecrators being Bishops Silas Silvius Njiru and Raphael Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki.

He served as President of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference from 1997 to 2003 and was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri on 23 January 2002.

Njue was then appointed Archbishop of Nairobi on 6 October 2007 and was installed on the following 1 November. He was one of the cardinal electors, who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Cardinal Njue retired in 2013.