Retired Catholic Archbishop Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki died this morning, 31st March, at the age of 88. He passed on at Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Nairobi after a short illness.
His death was announced by John Cardinal Njue, who is also the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nairobi.
In his message of condolence, President Uhuru Kenyatta described the late Mwana a’Nzeki as a loving and outstanding man of God. He said his servant leadership would be missed by fellow Kenyans.
Archbishop Ndingi Mwana Nzeki was staying at Archbishops’ Residence in Nairobi, when he fell ill.
He was born on 25th December in 1931 at Mumbuni wa Mundu Village, Mwala Constituency in Machakos County.
Immediately after completing primary school, he went to a seminary in Kiserian, Kajiado.
In 1961, Ndingi Mwana Nzeki was ordained as a priest and eight years later became the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos.
On 1st August 1969, he was transferred to take charge of Nakuru Diocese.
After 27 years in Nakuru, he was promoted to Assistant Archbishop in 1996.
He served under Michael Cardinal Otunga, who stepped down in 1997, paving the way for Mwana Nzeki to serve as the Archbishop until his retirement on 6th October 2007.
In 1992, Archbishop Mwana Nzeki strongly opposed the Mlolongo system of voting introduced at the height of the Kanu dictatorship.
