Reason Kenya's Only Living Cardinal Won't Attend New Pope's Election Revealed

According to a report by the Daily Nation, Kenya’s only surviving cardinal, John Njue, has confirmed that he has not been invited to the upcoming papal conclave at the Vatican—a gathering that will elect the successor to Pope Francis.

The clarification follows growing public interest after it emerged that the 79-year-old prelate, though technically eligible, will not be among the voting cardinals.

Sources within the Archdiocese of Nairobi later explained that Njue’s absence is due to ill health, which has made it difficult for him to travel.

Speaking to ACI Africa, Catholic News Agency’s partner on the continent, Church officials noted that Cardinal Njue’s condition has limited his ability to participate in public events, including major Church responsibilities such as this significant conclave.

In January 2025, Cardinal Njue made a rare public appearance during a Mass at St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church in Tena, where he addressed concerns about his health and reaffirmed his spiritual commitment to his flock.

“As you can see, I am not very strong, but I committed to coming and celebrating this Mass with you,” Njue told congregants. “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.”

His remarks came after a wave of false reports circulated online suggesting he had died—rumours that the Archdiocese of Nairobi strongly denied at the time.

Cardinal Njue’s situation is not unique. Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, 78, has also confirmed through the Archdiocese of Valencia that he will not participate in the papal election for similar health-related reasons.

Although the Vatican had earlier stated that two cardinal electors would be unable to attend due to health concerns, it withheld their names until confirmation was received from their respective dioceses.

Cardinal Njue was ordained as a priest in 1973 by Pope Paul VI at St. Peter’s Basilica and rose through the ranks of the Kenyan Catholic Church, serving as bishop of Embu, Archbishop of Nairobi, and twice as president of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops.

He was appointed cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007.

Though retired since 2021, Njue remains a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelisation. The recently updated Pontifical Yearbook listed his birth date as 1 January 1946, which would keep him eligible to vote in a conclave until the beginning of 2026.

With both Njue and Cañizares sitting out, the number of cardinal electors currently eligible to vote stands at 133. A two-thirds majority—at least 89 votes—is needed to choose the next pope who will lead the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion faithful.