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Former President Uhuru Kenyatta paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Pope Francis during a solemn mass at the Holy Family Basilica.
He remembered the pontiff as a beacon of humility and humanity whose impact transcended his global stature.
Speaking to mourners gathered at the memorial service, Kenyatta reflected on two personal encounters with the Pope during his tenure as president, describing them as unforgettable moments that revealed the true character of the Holy Father.
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“I had the pleasure and honour to meet him twice, and the memories of those meetings remain very dear and close to me,” Kenyatta said.
Recounting one particularly memorable meeting at State House, Nairobi, Kenyatta narrated how Pope Francis broke protocol in the most humble of ways.
A friend of his had made a personal request to meet the Pope, and though uncertain about how to bring it up, Kenyatta conveyed the request.
The Pope responded graciously, saying, “Oh, no problem.”
When the guest arrived and the room fell into silence, the Pope turned to Kenyatta and said, “I thought you said he wanted to talk to me,” before gesturing at the former president for privacy.
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“For the first time as president, another head of state threw me out of my own office,” Kenyatta said to soft laughter from the congregation.
But what stood out most wasn't just that moment, it was that he followed up with that person even after he left Kenya. What greater show of humility can you ask for?
Kenyatta emphasised that Pope Francis was not only a spiritual leader of over a billion Catholics but also a man deeply committed to the dignity and worth of every individual.
“He could lead a thousand, a million, and a billion people, but he still remembered the one lost sheep and went out in search of it,” Kenyatta noted, likening the Pope’s pastoral compassion to the biblical parable of the good shepherd.
The former president concluded by praying for the Pope’s eternal rest and calling on God to raise another shepherd who would continue the mission of peace, humility, and justice that Pope Francis championed.
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“May the Almighty God rest our Father's soul in eternal peace. And may He give us in the days to come another Father who shall continue the journey that he set forth,” he said.
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The mass was attended by religious leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, political dignitaries, and hundreds of faithful who gathered to honour the legacy of one of the most beloved Popes of the modern era.