JOHANNESBURG - The retired archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi Raphael Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki has died after a long illness, Kenya's daily newspaper The Star reported.
Nzeki, who was born in 1931 in Mwala Machakos, passed away on Monday night.
Cardinal John Njue, who has been archbishop of Nairobi since 2007, announced the death.
"Let us pray for the repose of his soul," Njue said in a Facebook post.
Nzeki was ordained as a priest in 1961 and as a bishop in 1969, serving in the dioceses of Machakos and Nakuru before being appointed as coadjutor archbishop of Nairobi in 1996 and archbishop the following year.
Nzeki, who was the first Catholic bishop to celebrate his episcopal golden jubilee in Kenya, was retired by then-Pope Benedict XVI in 2007, after attaining turning 75.
The Daily Nation said Nzeki was thrust into the limelight when he opposed the Kanu government’s directive forcing voters to line up behind their candidate during an election.
He also risked his life to support victims of tribal clashes in the Rift Valley.