Pope Francis (left) greets Cardinal John Njue. - https://www.kenyans.co.ke

Cardinal John Njue has resigned from his role as the archbishop of Nairobi Diocese. Pope Francis press service, Holy See Press Service, announced that the Cardinal had tendered in his resignation which was accepted by the Holy Father. Njue has served in the position since 2007. After the resignation, however, Njue will retain the title of Cardinal.
Auxiliary Bishop Rt. Rev. David Kamau is appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of Nairobi Archdiocese and has been serving in the Archdiocese since December 1999.
The Cardinal tendered in his resignation after he attained the mandatory retirement age for Bishops which is 75 years. He was born in 1944 at Kiriari, Embu District, Kenya and was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI on January 6, 1973. The Cardinal, who holds a master degree in philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, was appointed as philosophy Lecturer and dean of students at St. Augustine Senior Seminary, Mabanga in Bungoma. In 1982, he was appointed to Chuka Parish as its first African parish priest. He then served as rector of St. Joseph’s Philosophicum Seminary in Nairobi until his appointment on 9 June 1986 as the first Bishop of Embu.
Njue was ordained bishop on 20 September of that year and then coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri on 23 January 2002. From 2005-2006, he was Apostolic Administrator of the Vicariate of Isiolo. He was also Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Murang’a (2006-2009). And appointed Archbishop of Nairobi on October 6, 2007. He has served as the chairman of various commissions, such as the Episcopal commission for major seminaries in Kenya and the Kenya Episcopal Conference’s Justice and Peace Commission. He was born in 1944 at Kiriari, Embu District, Kenya and was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI on January 6, 1973. He has served as the chairman of various commissions, such as the Episcopal commission for major seminaries in Kenya and the Kenya Episcopal Conference’s Justice and Peace Commission.
Cardinal Njue, who celebrated his 34th anniversary as a catholic Archbishop this year, is 76, which is past the retirement age for Catholic Archbishops. According to the Canon Law 401 # 1, Archdiocesan/ diocesan Bishops, including Cardinals, are requested to submit their resignation to the Pope on reaching the age of 75 years.
Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, both retired Archbishops Zacchaeus Okoth of Kisumu and Peter Kairo of Nyeri, who both had to write to the Pope with requests for retirement to be approved, Cardinal Njue too is said to have sought retirement. He, however, remains a Cardinal until Pope Francis’ approval. According to Canon law, which are the laws followed by the Catholic Church, state that Cardinals are eligible to vote for a new Pope until they turn 80 and can also take part in crucial decisions when called upon by the Pope.

First cardinal

The first was Maurice Cardinal Otunga, who contributed immensely to the church's growth and charted a cordial course in relations with the secular leadership. Cardinal Njue’s role is not over just yet. Cardinals can still vote for a new Pope until they turn 80, and can take part in crucial decisions if called upon to do so. His achievements include chairing vital organisations such as the Kenya Episcopal Conference’s Justice and Peace Commission.

By Holy See Press, Fr Ndikaru and Daily Nation 7, 2021/Kenyan.co.ke