Wetang’ula to represent Kenya at Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 24 – Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula is set to depart the country on Thursday evening to attend the funeral of the late Pope Francis, scheduled for Saturday at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

Speaking as he led a group of Members of the National Assembly in offering their condolences at the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi, Wetang’ula said President William Ruto had nominated him to represent Kenya at the solemn event.

Wetang’ula, a devout Catholic, mourned the late Pope as a man who dedicated his life to humanity and peaceful coexistence.

“In my communication to the House, when we observed a minute of silence, I quoted one of his profound statements: ‘The world is like a public hospital that heals wounds but wounds hearts.’ He stood for building bridges between people and communities, not erecting walls. We may not have a perfect world, but we need one where everyone is a brother or sister, regardless of background, religion, or social status,” stated Wetang’ula.

ODM leader Raila Odinga recalled how the late Pope touched many lives and how his passing has impacted generations.

“He was a very gentle person who struggled in prayer for the world. Each time there was trouble anywhere, he was a voice of reason. He spoke for the downtrodden and the weakest among us, and he stood firmly against injustice,” Odinga said.

Describing him as a true representative of Christianity, Odinga noted that the Pope’s death was a huge loss to humanity.

“I hope the Catholic Church gets another Pope like him. I am not a Catholic, but I am a Christian and a friend of Catholics. That is why we are all deeply pained by the loss of Pope Francis. As the Speaker said, he was the first Pope from the Global South and exemplified the spirit of hope, reconciliation, and compassion,” he added.

Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Hubertus interpreted the Pope’s legacy through a spiritual lens, saying that the Lord does not choose someone to do His work based on qualifications but on the mercy He has for them.

“That principle didn’t apply only to himself; it extended to those around him. Many of the people he surrounded himself with were wounded, distant from Christ, yet he showed them mercy, appointed them, worked with them, and helped lift them from crisis,” stated the Nuncio.