Nairobi, 06 May, 2025 / 11:00 pm (ACI Africa).
Poor health is the reason why Kenya’s John Cardinal Njue did not travel to Rome to participate in the Papal Conclave to elect the successor to the late Pope Francis set to kick off on Wednesday, May 7, the Archbishop of Kenya’s Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) has clarified, clearing the air about the claim that the Kenyan Cardinal had “not been invited” to Rome for the exercise.
On Tuesday, May 6, Daily Nation, one of Kenya’s leading national newspapers, published an article under the headline, “Njue: I wasn't invited to election of new Pope”. In the report, Cardinal Njue is quoted as having said that he had not received an invitation letter to be part of the Papal Conclave.
In a statement following the Daily Nation report, Archbishop Philip Subira Anyolo said that the Archdiocese, in consultation with the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya, had communicated the health status of the Archbishop emeritus of Nairobi with the Vatican ahead of the Papal Conclave.
“In response to various enquiries concerning whether His Eminence John Cardinal Njue will be participating in the forthcoming conclave scheduled to commence on 7th May, 2025, I hereby confirm that although His Eminence is eligible to participate and was officially invited through the Apostolic Nunciature in Kenya, the Apostolic Nuncio, in concurrence with the Office of the Archbishop of Nairobi, duly communicated to the competent office of the Holy See that, owing to his current health condition, His Eminence John Cardinal Njue will be unable to travel to Rome and take part in the Conclave,” Archbishop Anyolo said.
The Catholic Archbishop, who has been at the helm of Nairobi Archdiocese since November 2021, when he succeeded Cardinal Njue, appealed for solidarity with the Cardinal Electors.
