The Archdiocese of Nairobi has refuted several reports that Kenya's only Cardinal, Cardinal John Njue, was not invited to participate in the conclave, the process of electing a new pope.
The Catholic church maintains that Cardinal Njue did receive an invitation but could not attend due to health issues of the 79-year-old.
This comes just hours after a local daily published an article quoting the emeritus saying he had not been invited for the highly anticipated papal elections. The archdiocese, however, stated that an official invitation had been sent through the Apostolic Nunciature in Kenya.
The statement further affirmed that the Vatican had been informed of the Cardinal's impending absence due to his current health condition, which has yet to be confirmed.
"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," Part of the statement read.
"As the College of Cardinals prepares to enter into conclave tomorrow, I earnestly urge all the faithful to pray that the Holy Spirit may guide the Cardinals as they undertake the solemn duty of electing our next Holy Father, who will shepherd the Universal Church. Let us also continue to pray for the good health of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue."
This clarification stands as a stark opposite of what Cardinal Njue reportedly said during an interview with the Daily Nation, where he had alleged that he had not received an official invite.
"Those who go there for the election are usually sent official invites, and that has not happened on my part. The fact is that I have not been invited," Njue reportedly said in the interview.
"It is not because of health ... I don’t know ... really, it’s difficult to comment about it," he added.
The publication came days after the Vatican reported that Njue, the only surviving Cardinal in Kenya, was among two of the 135 qualified cardinals to participate in the conclave who would miss the election.
In an official communication, sources in the Archdiocese of Nairobi, ACI Africa—CNA’s news partner in Africa—told the Vatican that Cardinal Njue was not in a healthy capacity to travel to Rome for the elections.
Njue, who participated in the 2013 election of Pope Francis, has been unwell for quite some time, limiting his public appearances. In January, he confirmed that his health had taken a nosedive.
“As you can see, I am not very strong, but I committed to coming and celebrating this mass with you. There is a lot of work to be done in God’s vineyard, and you are the ones to do it. It is your time,'' Njue said during mass at St.Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church-Tena.
