Maurice Michael Otunga

Maurice Michael Otunga was born in 1923 to Wasike Lusweti Sudi (a chieftain of the Bakhome (or Bukusu) tribe) and Rosa Namisi.

His father followed traditional African religion.

His father had about 70 wives and children with woman.

He taught Otunga the basic tenets of their traditional religion.

The boy was named Otunga, meaning a staff that elderly lean on for support.

His original name was "Odunga" but it was changed to "Otunga" since the Lubukusu language has no "D" sound.

But this was his second name: his father had called him this because he felt it was better than the name his mother had chosen for him.

Rosa named her infant son "Simiyu" upon his birth.

She had two other boys, his full brothers John Kalibo and Christopher Nakitare.

Otunga had numerous relatives from his brothers: John Kalibo had 4 boys and one girl, and Christopher Nakitare had 6 daughters and 1 boy.

John Kalibo's eldest son is Simon Wanyonyi, and Christopher Nakitare's son is Austin Khisa.

Otunga studied at Mill High School in Kibabii from 1931 to 1933, and later at another school in Sijei from 1933 to 1934.

He finished his studies at Mang'u High School in Kabaa from 1934 to 1935.

Otunga converted to Catholicism and was baptized in 1935 (from Fr. Leo Pulaert); he was given the names "Maurice Michael".

Otunga received his Confirmation on 29 September 1939 from Bishop Joseph Shanahan.

He refused to become his tribe's chieftain after his father resigned from the position in 1947.

Otunga transferred to Rome, where he was a student at the Pontifical Urban from 1947 until 1950.

He was appointed a bishop in the 1950s and transferred to lead a new diocese.

He later was transferred to Nairobi, from where he participated in the Second Vatican Council.

Otunga was known for his strong opposition to the use of condoms, most concerned about their being used for contraception.

There he was ordained to the priesthood on 3 October 1950.

He obtained a licentiate in his theological studies in September 1951.

Otunga began ecclesial studies in Kakamega.

He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Gaba ecclesial school in Kampala, Uganda.

He also obtained his theological doctorate in Rome after completing further studies in 1951.

That year he travelled in Europe for several months, visiting northern Italian cities, Paris and Lourdes in France, and then to England and Ireland.

Upon his return to Kenya, Otunga was assigned to serve (1951-1954) as a professor in the theological department at the ecclesial school in Kisumu.

He also served as the vice-chancellor of the diocesan curia.

He was the private aide to James Robert Knox from 1954 until his appointment to the episcopate in 1956.

In 1956 Otunga was assigned to serve as a pastor at the Makupa parish in Nairobi.

His father was later baptized in 1963 and his mother also later in 1965.

He said that contraception was in breach of Christian teaching and that it opposed the doctrine of Humanae Vitae issued in 1968.

He was also a vocal critic of abortion and was critical of priests who became involved in social and political controversies.

Based on his strong service to the Church, his cause of canonization has commenced.

He has been titled as a Servant of God.

He served as the Archbishop of Nairobi from 1971 until his resignation in 1997.

Pope Paul VI elevated him into the cardinalate in 1973 as the Cardinal-Priest of San Gregorio Barbarigo alle Tre Fontane in Rome.

The son of a tribal chief in Kenya, Otunga refused to succeed his father in the traditional position in order to pursue a path to the Catholic priesthood after completing his studies at home and in Rome.

Despite the spread of AIDS and the recommended use of condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, twice in the 1990s Otunga burnt boxes of condoms before the faithful.

Maurice Michael Otunga (January 1923 – 6 September 2003) was a Kenyan Catholic prelate and cardinal.