Kenya Kwanza leaders from the North Rift region have demanded swift government action to apprehend the killers of 33-year-old Catholic priest Fr Alloys Cheruiyot Bett during a requiem mass.

Speaking at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Eldoret on June 2, 2025, the leaders, led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator William Kisang, urged security personnel to utilise all available resources to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The slain priest, who served at St Matthias Mulumba Tot Parish, was ambushed and shot dead on May 22, 2025, while returning to Tot after conducting a Jumuiya mass in Kakbiken village.

According to witnesses, assailants sprayed the priest with bullets moments after he concluded the small Christian community gathering.

The attackers fired four shots – three missed their targets, but one struck Bett in the neck, killing him instantly.

‘Walking scot-free’

Kisang said that it was regrettable that the slain priest would be laid to rest in his home county of Nandi while his killers were still walking scot-free in the volatile Kerio Valley.

He called for government intervention after the local community failed to honour their three-day promise to identify and hand over the perpetrators.

“We are now asking the government to take over the matter and ensure the killers … are seized to account for their heinous act,” Kisang declared.

He said a five-member team of eminent Marakwet elders, who were to conduct a ritual against the perpetrators, had to halt their ceremony until the murderers were arrested and handed over to authorities.

Senators Samson Cherargei (Nandi) and Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) condemned the killing and called for better security in the region.

They expressed concern about the resurgence of deadly attacks in the Kerio Valley despite the presence of security officers.

Mandago stressed the need for regional leaders to converge and deliberate on lasting solutions to runaway insecurity.

Cherargei criticised the slow pace of investigations, stating: “The government has all the resources and personnel at its disposal and should use them to flush out the perpetrators of the act for justice to the family of the slain Catholic priest.”

The requiem mass was conducted by Bishop Dominic Kimengich, head of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret.

Last week, during a security meeting at Chesongoch, Kerio Valley residents requested three days to identify those responsible for the priest’s killing.

The meeting included local leaders, residents, clergy, and police officers. However, by yesterday, the community had failed to produce the suspects as promised.

Church suspends operations

Bett had served in the region for less than six months before his tragic death, which shocked the local community and church leadership, forcing schools and health facilities to shut down. Police have arrested six suspects in connection with the incident.

The Catholic Church has suspended all missionary work in the banditry-prone Kerio Valley following the killing, closing all mission stations until the area is deemed safe for normal operations.

“Following the recent happenings in Kerio Valley, where Fr Allois Bett, Parish priest of St Mathias Lumumba, Tot Parish, [was killed], unrest has continued to be experienced in the area. This has affected missionary work,” the Missionary Benedictine Sisters said in a statement.

‘Staff fleeing’

The church cited the inability to run essential services due to staff fleeing the region.

In a pointed message to the community, church officials stated: “We want to remind the people of Kerio Valley of the relevance of our presence to the community. If the community does not consider our mission as essential to them, then there is no need for our presence.”

The statement continued: “We also want to ensure the safety of our sisters working in the region, our employees and those who visit our mission for different services.”

The church’s withdrawal represents a significant blow to the region, where missionary services provide crucial healthcare, education, and spiritual support to remote communities.