By Arnold Neliba
NAIROBI, JANUARY 5, 2021 (CISA)-Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue as the Archbishop of Nairobi. Cardinal Njue tendered his resignation as Archbishop upon attaining 75 years, the mandatory retirement age for Catholic Bishops.
The announcement was officially made public in Rome on Monday, January 4, 2021.
“His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue as the Archbishop of Nairobi. At the same time Right Reverend David Kamau, Auxiliary Bishop of Nairobi, has been appointed Apostolic Administrator of the same Archdiocese,” reads a statement from the Apostolic Nunciature in Kenya.
Cardinal Njue retires after 34 years as a prelate of the church, 13 of which he was the archbishop of Nairobi.
Cardinal Njue was born in in 1944 in Kiriari village. Hewas ordained priest on January 6, 1973 and appointed first bishop to the Catholic diocese of Embu on June 9, 1986 aged 42.
He was appointed archbishop of Nairobi on October 6, 2007 and installed on November 1, 2007 taking over from the Late Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki who retired in October 2007. On November 24, 2007 he was elevated to Cardinal.
Cardinal Njue also served as the Chairman of the Seminary Episcopal Commission for Major Seminaries in Kenya from 1987 to 1991. He was chairman of the Kenyan Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) from 1997 to 2003. He also served as the Chairman for KCCB – Catholic Justice and Peace Commission and Chairman of Development and Social Services Department Kenya Catholic Secretariat (KCS).
Canon 401 §1 of the Code of Canon Law states that archdiocesan/diocesan bishops (including cardinals) are requested to submit their resignation to the pope on reaching the age of 75 years.
