Senators call for formation of commission to investigate murder of priests following Fr Bett’s killing

Senators have called for the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate the rising cases of clergy killings, citing decades of unresolved murders and growing public concern over government inaction.

The demand follows the recent brutal murder of Fr Allois Bett of St Matthias Lumumba Catholic Church in Tot Parish, Elgeyo Marakwet County, who was ambushed and shot dead on May 22 after presiding over a small Christian community Mass in Kabien Village.

The legislators say his killing, along with a string of past clergy deaths dating back to the early 2000s, points to a pattern of targeted violence that has gone largely unaddressed by the state, fueling calls for urgent and independent investigations.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said the disturbing trend of Catholic priests being murdered across the country can no longer be ignored. He listed several clergy members killed under similar circumstances in the past, including Fr John Njoroge Maina in 2018, Bishop Luigi Locati in 2005, Fr John Anthony Kaiser in 2000, Fr Martin Macharia Njoroge in 2003, Fr Evans Oduor in 2017, Fr Michael Siendo in 2019, Fr Eutychus Muthuri of Meru in 2019, and Fr John Maina, who was killed earlier this year.

“Where it has reached, we must call for and form a commission of inquiry into the killings of Catholic priests,” Khalwale said.

“It cannot be by chance that whenever priests are murdered, a theory is thrown around in the media that they have committed suicide. As a Catholic who was born and bred in a Catholic family, I demand that there be an inquiry.”

The Senate Majority Whip noted that apart from the case of Bishop Locati, where a priest was arrested, convicted, and is currently serving a jail term, most of the other killings remain unsolved and have not yielded any meaningful results.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said the Catholic Church has endured traumatic experiences for over 20 years, and the silence from authorities following such attacks is deeply troubling. He pointed to the case of Fr John Ndegwa Maina of Igwamiti Parish in Nyandarua, who was recently found with multiple gunshot wounds just days before Fr Bett’s killing.

“The most distressing aspect is that no arrests have been made. The public is keenly observing how security forces handle individual cases,” Sifuna said.

“At times, it seems that when a prominent person is involved, investigations are expedited and action is taken swiftly. However, days have passed, and no one has been arrested for the shooting of this priest in Tot.”

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot questioned why no action had been taken, despite locals allegedly identifying the killer.

“It is well known that the individual responsible for Father Allois’s murder is a criminal named Cheptarus. Locals have spoken, stating they know who committed this crime,” he said.

Cheruiyot added that there appeared to be a lack of urgency in investigating killings when the victims were ordinary citizens or clergy, as opposed to high-profile individuals.

“We must see that level of speed, seriousness and commitment in investigating Father Allois’s murder. In the past few months, we have received reports of killings, so much so that the country seems to have grown accustomed to them, treating them as just another piece of news,” he said.

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He urged the government to declare Kerio Valley a disturbed zone and deploy specialised security forces to ensure the safety of residents.

“I plead that this be the last Kenyan life lost in such circumstances. It is not right that we live in a country where some people cannot sleep peacefully in their homes and children are unable to attend school,” he added.

Murder probe

Meanwhile, the Senate’s Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations has been tasked with investigating the killing of Fr Bett. The committee, chaired by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, will examine the circumstances surrounding the priest’s death, including the motive behind the attack and the status of ongoing investigations.

This follows a statement by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, who questioned why police were yet to make any arrests, despite claiming to have an ongoing operation in the region aimed at flushing out bandits. He noted that Fr Bett was unarmed and in the company of others during the attack, yet only he was targeted and killed.

Cherargei criticised the government’s handling of insecurity in the North Rift, blaming the continued attacks on a sluggish and ineffective response by both the police and the Kenya Defence Forces.

“In the past few days, the region has witnessed a rise in cases of insecurity, leading to deaths and loss of property, particularly in Baringo, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, and Samburu,” he said.

On Monday, Fr Bett’s body was removed from the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) morgue in Eldoret and transported in a solemn procession to the Sacred Heart Cathedral for a public mass and viewing.

Priests and Catholic faithful accompanied the cortege, receiving the body with hymns and prayerful tributes. Bishop Dominic Kimengich of Eldoret Diocese presided over a three-to-four-hour requiem mass in honour of the slain priest.

In his address, Bishop Kimengich described the killing of Fr Bett as a tragic loss to both the Church and the community, reiterating calls for justice.

“It is a big loss to the Church and the community. We continue to demand justice for him. His killers must be brought to account,” he said.

According to the funeral programme, Fr Bett’s body will be transported by road to Holy Family Ol Lessos Parish in Nandi County later Monday for a night vigil.

On Tuesday, the body will be moved to St Michael’s Terige High School for public viewing and a final funeral mass, after which it will be taken in procession to the cemetery at Ol Lessos Parish, where he will be laid to rest.

Top government officials and senior clergy are expected to attend the funeral rites, which have drawn mourners from various parts of the country.

Fr Bett had been serving at St Mulumba Church in Tot, located in the troubled Kerio Valley region, at the time of his death.