Former Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki bravely went against the grain

Ndingi Mwana Nzeki    PHOTO: COURTESY

By DANIEL WESANGULA

KENYA: In his walk of faith, Fr Anthony Gichure has been lucky to work with two prominent religious leaders. He has served in different capacities under Cardinal Maurice Otunga and Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki.

Although the two shared a similar belief, their different philosophical approach to Catholicism was probably driven by their contrasting personalities, Fr Gichure surmises.

“Cardinal Otunga was more theological, even philosophical in his approach, while Ndingi appeared a more political and hands on leader—perhaps even more pragmatic. And while the Cardinal could appear aloof, Ndingi chose which areas he would expend his energy.

“For instance in all his years, he never came to learn how to type. He would simply dictate what he wanted recorded and that was it. He never really concerned himself or worried about the bigger picture in regard to church finances,” he adds.

“However, that is not to say that he wasn’t a keen accountant. He could account for every penny that was in the Church’s possession. He was a meticulous record keeper.”

Fr Gichure believes Ndingi was more practical when it came to dealing with every day worldly problems. He gives the following anecdote: In one instance when Fr Gichure was in the presence of the Cardinal, the head of the Catholic church in Kenya received a call from a powerful politician who wanted his daughter admitted to the prestigious Loreto Convent Limuru High School. After the politician explained himself at great length, the Cardinal sat back for a while then answered:

“I understand your predicament Mheshimiwa. You are right, I do have the power to get your daughter into that institution and all it will take is a phone call from me,” Otunga said.

“However,” he continued, “We only have a set number of slots available and getting your daughter in would mean that I would have to send another equally deserving girl home. This is a decision I cannot live with.”

And just like that, the matter was settled.

“But Ndingi would probably have dealt with this differently. He always anticipated such scenarios and at the end of each year he would reserve some slots in different high performing schools around the country to deal with such requests,” Fr Gichure says.

He views Otunga as a principled conformist and Ndingi as someone who could easily go against the grain.  “For instance, Ndingi stopped wearing a pileolus (scull cap) which was the accepted normal practice for Bishops and adapted a bieretta (stiff square cap) because he was balding and the scull cap kept sliding off his head,” Fr Gichure recalls. What if he were to compare the two to former popes? “Otunga would be more of a Benedict—conservative and methodological— while Ndingi would be a Benedict, open and disarming. That is how different they were.”