He Identified Himself as Catholic Priest “then breathed his last”: Kenyan Priest Debunks Media Reports on Late Colleague

The late Fr. John Maina identified himself to the medical doctor at the hospital as a Catholic Priest of Nyahururu Diocese “then he breathed his last”, the Communications Director of the Kenyan Episcopal See told ACI Africa on May 20.

Late Fr. John Maina Ndegwa

He passed on “minutes after being admitted,” Fr. Waihenya said, echoing the Caritas Director of Nyahururu Diocese, Fr. Sammy Mwaniki Muiru, who had told ACI Africa earlier in the day that their late colleague had died shortly after being brought to the health facility. 

“His body was moved to the Nyahururu Pope Benedict hospital morgue upon request by the Diocese for preservation and autopsy,” Fr. Waihenya said about the remains of his late 43-year-old colleague, who was ordained a Priest in 2017.

In the May 20 interview, Fr. Waihenya said that following a May 19 autopsy that Dr. Ngulungu, a government pathologist, conducted, “preliminary findings revealed that the bruises observed on Fr. Maina's head were unlikely to be the cause of death.”

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As a result of this inconclusive postmortem, he told ACI Africa, “samples were collected and sent for further toxicological analysis.”

Fr. Waihenya went on to recall the late Fr. John Maina’s errands on the eve of his passing on, saying the late Catholic Priest, who was in charge of St. Luis Igwamiti Parish of Nyahururu Diocese had the Parish vehicle repaired at the garage next to Mary Immaculate Cathedral of the Kenyan Episcopal See, before parking it at the Cathedral grounds.

The late Fr. John Maina told the Cathedral Parish Priest that he was taking a walk to Nyahururu town for some errands and that “he’d return to take the car ... only the following day to be found at Kikopey,” some 72 kilometres away, the Catholic Priest recounted.

“The Parish vehicle the late Fr. John Maina had remained parked at the Cathedral grounds; he walked to Nyahururu town with the car keys,” Fr. Waihenya said, debunking media reports that the vehicle was missing and “may have been used to transport and dump his body”.

Asked about reports linking the late Fr. John Maina’s passing on with his hosting of Kenya’s former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, for a fundraising at St. Luis Igwamiti Parish, Fr. Waihenya faulted the media for inaccurate reporting. 

“The parish was celebrating 25 years. Then Fr. Simon Mwangi Wachira, a native of Igwamiti Parish, was celebrating his 25 years since he was ordained a Priest. So, what I mean is that there was not any money which was collected as such,” he recalled the event of April 27 that had Mr. Gachagua, who was impeached in October 2024 on the grounds of multiple charges, including corruption and gross misconduct, in attendance.

The Director of Communications for Nyahururu Diocese also faulted media reports he said have claimed that the late Fr. John Maina was the homilist during the Silver Jubilee celebrations, clarifying that the Vicar General of Nyahururu Diocese delivered the sermon during the April 27 Holy Mass at St. Luis Igwamiti Parish.

On May 20, Catholic Priests serving in Nyahururu Diocese alongside women and men Religious and Laity gathered at Kiambogo, the native village of the late Fr. John Maina to condole with the family.

The Local Ordinary of Nyahururu Diocese, Bishop Joseph Ndembu Mbatia presided over the Mass at the homestead of the late Catholic Priest, which is served by St. Martin of Tours Mutanga Catholic Parish.

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In the May 20 interview, Nyahururu Diocese Caritas Director, who is also in charge of Holy Family Ng’arua Parish of the Kenyan Episcopal See appealed for spiritual solidarity with the Diocese and the family following the death of their colleague in “unclear circumstances”.

“We are going for Holy Mass in their homestead… Continue praying for us, and especially the family at this time which is very difficult,” Fr. Muiru who testified that his relationship with the late colleague dates to Seminary years said.

Plans are underway for the Funeral Mass of the late Fr. John Maina on Thursday, May 22 at Tabor Hill spiritual centre of Nyahururu Diocese, where he is to be later laid to rest at the Priests’ cemetery.

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