Cardinal John Njue is a retired Archbishop of Nairobi who has been a strong defender of life and family values and generally taken a conservative stance on social and moral issues.

Born on January 1, 1946, in Kiriari Village, Embu District, Kenya, he was baptized in 1948 and began his primary education in 1952. Njue’s path to priesthood started early, encouraged by his teacher and a renowned catechist. He pursued his studies in Rome, earning a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in 1969 and a Masters in Theology from Lateran University in 1974.

Njue was ordained as a priest on January 6, 1973, by Pope Paul VI in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Upon returning to Kenya, he served in various capacities, including as a parish priest , seminary rector, and professor of philosophy. His leadership qualities were recognized early, leading to his appointment as the first Bishop of Embu on June 9, 1986, at the age of 40.

Njue’s ascent in the Church hierarchy continued with his appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri in 2002. In October, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as the Archbishop of Nairobi. Just over a month later, Njue was elevated to the rank of Cardinal, becoming only the second Kenyan to hold this position after the late Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga.

Throughout his career, Cardinal Njue has held several significant positions. He served as the Chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference from 2006 to 2015. He has also chaired various commissions, including the Episcopal Commission for Major Seminaries in Kenya and the Justice and Peace Commission.

He took part in both the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family, and the conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Njue’s tenure as Archbishop of Nairobi was marked by significant developments. He prioritized financial independence for the Church, helping to establish the Caritas Microfinance Bank. Under his leadership, numerous churches and church structures were constructed, including the Cardinal Otunga Plaza and a new building for Radio Maria.

On the Eucharist and the liturgy, Cardinal Njue has emphasized the importance of attending Mass in person, stating that watching live-streamed Masses is not sufficient. He has stressed that the Sunday Mass obligation is rooted in divine law and cannot be changed.

He has been a vocal opponent of abortion, stating that “abortion is killing an unborn baby” and he has led Catholics in Kenya in fighting against efforts to legalize abortion. The cardinal wrote pastoral letters affirming the Church’s stance against abortion and vowed that the Catholic Church would resist any moves to legalize it in Kenya.

In 2013, Njue expressed his strong opposition to same-sex relationships. In response to then-US President Barack Obama’s support for gay rights in Africa, Njue stated that the United States had “ruined their own societies” and that he did not think “God was making a mistake when he created Adam and Eve.” He has rejected calls to decriminalize homosexuality in Kenya, and makes “no apology” for his stance. He believes allowing same sex relations “ruins moral fabric of societies” and is against biblical teachings.

Like many in Africa, Cardinal Njue has expressed scepticism towards foreign-developed vaccines, urging Kenyans to treat them with caution. He has suggested that foreign entities pushing vaccines in Kenya may have “hidden negative agendas.” However, he noted that the Catholic Church is not against vaccines in general, but questions their sources and intentions.

In 2016, Cardinal Njue surprisingly signed up for the UN “HeforShe” campaign that sought to build a global solidarity movement for gender equality. The cardinal endorsed the campaign during the Annual General Meeting of the Catholic Men Association of the Archdiocese of Nairobi, saying: “The Catholic Church has never shied away from issues of gender inequalities that face our society today. This inequality exists even in the Church because men and women sometimes forget they cannot be fully human without one another. We are all equal in the eyes of God,” the cardinal stressed.

In particular, he urged men to mentor boys. “I wish to remind you, our dear fathers, that you have a responsibility to head your homes, lead and guide your families,” he said. “This is a role that cannot be fulfilled effectively without mentoring the future generation,” he said, adding that it is a “responsibility that you cannot give to someone else; it is your primary responsibility.”

The cardinal was criticized for allegedly failing to take a firm stand during the 2007/2008 post-election violence in Kenya, when hundreds of people were killed.

Cardinal Njue retired as Archbishop of Nairobi on January 4, 2021, at the age of 75, but remains an influential voice in the Church in Kenya and continues to serve as a member of the Dicastery for the Evangelization.

In September 2024, the archdiocese of Nairobi dismissed rumors that the cardinal had died or was seriously ill.