Were it a different time, the burial of Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki (pictured) would have drawn multitudes. Hundreds would have gathered at Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi on April 7 for the ceremony to see Ndingi interred in a crypt at the basement of the church in the CBD from where he served from 1997 to his retirement in 2007.
Instead, as a result of the new order unleashed by the coronavirus pandemic, his burial will be a muted affair of only a handful of his colleagues in the Catholic clergy. Others with a desire to pay their respects to the cleric who died on March 31 aged 89 will have to follow the proceedings from their homes.
The burial, a private affair to be attended by priests, bishops and close family members will be preceded by a funeral service at the basilica from 10am on the same day.
Yet the Catholic faithful who adored Ndingi will feel robbed of a public memorial, one which he rightfully deserved, and an opportunity to pay their last respects.
In Nakuru, especially, Ndingi left indelible spoors with gallant fights for the downtrodden during the politically motivated ethic clashes that targeted certain communities for cleansing in Molo and other parts of the Rift Valley in 1992.
He also opposed the infamous queue voting (Mlolongo) system in 1988 that saw losers declared winners in a most audacious rigging style where shorter queues carried the day.
He was to remain in Nakuru until 1996 when he moved to Nairobi as Coadjutor Archbishop, assisting Maurice Cardinal Otunga as the latter ambled to his retirement.
Ndingi was ordained as a priest in 1961 after a stint at the Kiserian Seminary that he joined after completing his primary school education.
He served under Archbishop JJ McArthy of Nairobi and was later to sit his Cambridge School Certificate privately. He performed well and was admitted to the University of Nairobi for a BA degree in Political Science and History.
His devoted service was recognised by the church when he was ordained a bishop by Pope Paul VI in 1969 and posted to the Machakos Catholic Diocese that he headed until his transfer to head the Nakuru Diocese in 1971.
Ndingi ascended to the helm of the Catholic church in Kenya on April 21, 1997 when he succeeded Cardinal Otunga, a post he was to hold for a decade.
He was retired by Pope Benedict XVI on June 10, 2007 on attaining the age of 75. He was succeeded by John Cardinal Njue who was his deputy in Nakuru.
Archbishop Ndingi was born on Christmas day, of 1931 in Mwala, Machakos County. His body will be placed in the Holy Family Basilica crypt next to that of Bishop John Njenga. His predecessor, Maurice Cardinal Otunga, was buried elsewhere, according to his wishes.
