Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki

Today, I want to appreciate this man – Ndingi Mwana a Nzeki. While growing up in the 90’s, I was caught and inspired by his boldness. His unusual approach cultivated in me a keen interest in social justice.

At the height of Moi’a arrogance, he opposed, among other things, a system that forced voters to queue behind their candidate (mlolongo). During the tribal clashes of the 1990s in the Rift Valley, he offered refuge for clash victims and became closely associated with the fight for justice (multiparty democracy) .

On several instances, he stood up against state power – when state security caused comottion in his church in order to have the president come in – he distributed communion and “without mincing words or batting an eyelid, pointed out that it was a church and not a political meeting.” So, the head of state had to do with a seat amidst the congregation.

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001366405/fearless-cleric-who-fought-for-the-poor

In one of his sermons, he declared that “any politician sponsoring ethnic killings would never be given a platform in any of his churches”. At the height of the government crackdown on human right activists in 1993, he helped to smuggle environmentalist Wangari Maathai to safety.

Rest well elder, your last days were disconnected. But am left with the question – what happened that we don’t have such firebrand clergy at the forefront of fighting injustice and upholding the rights of their poor flock?

_mwl GT.