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

Cardinal Njue, who was born in Kiriari, Embu District, Kenya, in 1944, has served as Archbishop of Nairobi since 2007.

Biography of Cardinal John Njue

Cardinal John Njue, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Nairobi (Kenya), was born in 1944 at Kiriari, Embu District, Kenya. He was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI on 6 January 1973. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University.

In 1974 he was appointed philosophy professor and dean of students at St. Augustine Senior Seminary, Mabanga in Bungoma, of which he was also rector from 1978 to 1982.

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. He 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).

On 6 October 2007, he was appointed Archbishop of Nairobi.

He has been chairman of various commissions, such as the Episcopal commission for major seminaries in Kenya and the Kenya Episcopal Conference’s Justice and Peace Commission.

From 2006 to 2015 he was president of the Kenya Episcopal Conference.

He participated in the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2014) on The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization and in the XIV Ordinary General Assembly on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World (October 2015).

He participated in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 November 2007, of the Title of Preziosissimo Sangue di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo (Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ).

Story source Vatican News

A healthcare workers’ union has stated that no county has fully met their demands and that members would stay away from their workstations until their needs were met.

This comes a day after Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui expressed fears that local doctors were planning to join their national colleagues but the county had met their demands.

“I want to make it clear that no single county of the 47 has met the doctors’ demands in full,” stated Acting Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union General Secretary Chibanzi Mwachonda.

Early today, the union launched a nationwide doctors’ strike that saw services paralysed in all the public facilities. At the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital, services went on smoothly.

Minister for Health Dr Gichuki Kariuki said the county had a binding agreement with KMPDU signed on September 4 stating that local doctors should keep off strikes after meeting most of the demands.

“By September when we signed the agreement, we had met over 70 % of their demands. We don’t expect any doctor to join the national strike,” he stated.

He said that by the end of September, all doctors on the payroll had been provided with enhanced medical cover, effected and backdated common cadre promotions and arrears paid in full.

By September, Dr Gichuki said, 11 doctors had been released for postgraduate studies locally and abroad on merit. The county is in the process of refunding money to 60 self-sponsored doctors.

KMPDU- South Rift branch Secretary-General Davji Atellah said the County had shown willingness to address the doctors’ plight.

Rogue politicians who fan violence and hate speech will not be in a position to participate in any election in future.

National Cohesion and Integration Commission chairman Dr Samuel Kobia said the agency is working with other electoral bodies on the matter.

He revealed NCIC was in talks with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, political parties and Registrar of Political Parties.

He was speaking in Nakuru during a two-day meeting to engage political and administrative leadership in preparation for 2022 elections.

Already, he said, the commission has launched a roadmap framework towards ensuring peaceful 2022 elections.

“NCIC will be collaborating with other stakeholders to ensure peaceful elections in 2022,” he stated.

While citing the recent violence experienced in Msambweni by-elections, Dr Kobia called on youths to shun divisive politics and rogue politicians.

Politicians Aisha Jumwa and Edwin Sifuna have been sermoned by the commission over their sentiments he said are related to hate speech.