Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal John Njue as the pastoral governance of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nairobi, the Holy See Press Office announced on Monday. 

Cardinal Njue had officially tendered his resignation to the Vatican after he attained the mandatory retirement age of 75 for Bishops.

Cardinal Njue, who was born in Kiriari area of Embu County in 1944, had served as the Archbishop of Nairobi since 2007 and took over from Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki who retired in October 2007.

Similarly, Pope Francis has appointed Nairobi Auxiliary Bishop Rt Rev David Kamau as the Apostolic Administrator of Nairobi Archdiocese following Njue’s resignation.

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Pope Francis and Cardinal John Njue during the Popes visit to Kenya. PHOTO/COURTESY

Bishop Kamau has been serving in the archdiocese since December 22, 1999 when he was appointed the Auxiliary Bishop of Nairobi.

Cardinal Njue was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI on January 6, 1973 and holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University.


Cardinal John Njue and DP William Ruto at a past fundraiser. PHOTO/COURTESY

Njue has been chairman of various commissions, including the Episcopal commission for major seminaries in Kenya and the Justice and Peace Commission of the Kenya Episcopal Conference.

He was also president of the Kenya Episcopal Conference from 2006 to 2015 and participated in the conclave of March 2013 which elected Pope Francis to head the Catholic Church globally.

Cardinal Njue's tenure was however been rocked by controversy amid criticism over his alleged political bias and divisive remarks.