National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula departed Kenya on Thursday evening to represent the country at the funeral of Pope Francis, scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
Earlier, Wetang’ula led a delegation of lawmakers in offering their condolences at the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi, where he paid tribute to the late Pope’s lasting impact on the world.
As a devout Catholic, Wetang’ula praised Pope Francis for his tireless dedication to humanity and peaceful coexistence. “He was a man who dedicated his life to humanity and peace,” Wetang’ula shared with the media, reflecting on the Pope’s significant contributions to global unity and compassion.
While addressing the media, Wetang’ula recalled one of Pope Francis’s profound teachings. “When we observed a minute of silence in the House, I quoted one of his statements: ‘The world is like a public hospital that heals wounds but wounds hearts.’ He was a champion of building bridges between people, not walls,” Wetang’ula said.
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Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who also joined the condolence delegation, echoed Wetang’ula’s sentiments. Odinga described the late Pope as a gentle figure who was deeply committed to prayer for the world. “He was a voice of reason in times of trouble and always stood up for the downtrodden, opposing injustice,” Odinga remarked.
Although not Catholic himself, Odinga expressed heartfelt solidarity with Kenyan Catholics, stating, “I hope the Church finds another Pope like him. As a Christian and a friend of Catholics, we are all deeply pained by his loss. He was the first Pope from the Global South, embodying hope, reconciliation, and compassion.”
Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, Kenya’s Apostolic Nuncio, added a spiritual perspective, reflecting on Pope Francis’s leadership. He shared, “The Lord doesn’t choose someone based on qualifications but on mercy. The Pope showed mercy not just to himself but to others, lifting many from crisis.”
