The late Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett.
A fresh wave of attacks in the volatile Kerio Valley has dealt a significant blow to state-led efforts to restore order and dismantle criminal networks in the region.
The area, which had enjoyed relative calm for nearly nine months, is now reeling from a resurgence of violence that has left over 22 people dead in Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet counties, with many others nursing gunshot wounds.
This fragile peace had followed a government crackdown on banditry that saw the establishment of security camps along suspected escape routes and intensified operations to disarm and arrest armed criminals. But since the beginning of the year, incidents of violence have once again escalated, casting doubt on the sustainability of those efforts.
The latest killing occurred on Thursday afternoon when Catholic priest Allois Cheruiyot Bett was shot dead in Kabartile village, Tot Division. Bett, who served at St Mathias Mulumba Church in Tot Parish, was ambushed while returning from a routine Jumuiya (Christian community group) service.
Police say he was fatally shot by unknown armed assailants who fled into nearby thickets.
Kerio Valley Sub-County Police Commander Zablon Okoyo said the Tot Police Station OCS visited the scene and recovered the body, which was taken to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary in Eldoret.
“The priest was on his daily routine in Kabartile village when he was accosted by an armed assailant who shot him before fleeing. He died on the spot,” said Mr Okoyo.
Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga later issued a statement noting that suspects linked to the killing had been arrested and were in custody.
“Preliminary investigations indicate the murder is not linked to banditry or cattle rustling. We urge locals to remain calm and continue with their daily activities while cooperating with security personnel,” said Mr Nyaga.
Despite the official position, fear and suspicion have gripped the region. Locals say the murder fits a troubling pattern of targeted killings, especially of peace ambassadors and non-locals perceived, often wrongly, as spies or collaborators with the security forces. The slain priest is said to have been vocal in peacebuilding efforts, further fuelling these suspicions.
The attackers, residents say, have changed tactics. Unlike in the past where livestock raids were the norm, recent assailants kill without warning or stealing, then vanish before law enforcement can respond. In January last year, three peace emissaries - including two elders and a primary school teacher - were gunned down on a mission to collect goats handed over in a symbolic peace gesture. The killings took place along the Murkutwo-Kerio road.
Auxiliary Bishop of the Eldoret Catholic Diocese, Rt Rev John Kiplimo Arap Lelei, condemned the murder, calling it a direct attack on peace efforts.
“Non-locals, including priests, teachers, and civil servants, are living in fear over false accusations of spying. The priest’s killing was the first of its kind here. The government must act and apprehend those responsible,” said Bishop Lelei.
He said Tot, Endo, and Chesongoch are areas where threats against non-locals are most frequent. The bishop also urged authorities to take swift action against what he termed “well-known assailants,” warning that the failure to do so would further embolden criminal elements.
The priest’s killing came just days after two non-locals were shot dead in separate incidents in the same region. On Saturday, Simon Njaga, a construction worker employed by a Chinese firm, was shot dead at night in Karena village. Mr Okoyo said a lone gunman emerged from a nearby thicket and opened fire while Njaga was socialising with villagers.
Earlier that week, Bonface Ongote, a motorcycle mechanic, was shot dead outside his workplace in Chesongoch trading centre. He worked in a motorcycle spare parts shop owned by a local resident. Police believe the shootings could be retaliatory, linked to ongoing operations in Endo targeting suspected bandits.
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich (left), Auxiliary Bishop John Lelei of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County Governor Jonathan Bii and other mourners at the Moi Teaching and Hospital Mortuary in Eldoret on May 22, 2025 night.
The killings have disrupted development activities in the region. Key projects - including the Maron-Sobow and Ketut-Mokoro water schemes, and the Mulwaber irrigation project - have stalled after workers, most of them non-local, fled in fear. This has compounded the region’s woes, further isolating communities that already struggle with poor infrastructure and services.
In response, the government has implemented additional security measures. Kerio Valley Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Ezekiel Amonde confirmed the imposition of a dusk-to-dawn curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in Tot and Chesongoch. He acknowledged that the attacks had scared off investors but assured residents of renewed efforts to restore calm.
Mr Amonde revealed that the military and General Service Unit (GSU) personnel had been deployed to supplement police operations, alongside a multi-agency security team.
“We suspect that some elements are reacting to government crackdowns by targeting non-locals. But we’ve recalled those who fled and are assuring them that order is being restored,” he said.
The violence has not been confined to Elgeyo Marakwet alone. More than 15 people, including a local chief, have been killed in Baringo County since the start of the year. Two weeks ago, a police reservist, Evans Kamworor, was shot dead in Chemoe village, Baringo North, and six others were injured after armed attackers raided the area and drove away livestock.
The Chemoe incident occurred just kilometres from where Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen was meeting security officials. On April 28, a convoy en route to Chemolingot from Marigat was ambushed at Sibilo Lions junction. Two people were killed, including a 22-year-old woman, and several others, among them schoolchildren, were injured.
That attack came shortly after another deadly ambush in Loberer, where a group of over 15 lorries ferrying traders was intercepted by gunmen. A lorry driver and a trader were killed, while others were robbed before the attackers disappeared into the bush. The rising insecurity on the road networks has further undermined economic activity in the region.
Speaking during a security meeting in Chesongoch three weeks ago, CS Murkomen warned that banditry remains rampant in parts of West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Baringo. He identified Endo, Koibirir, Kaben, Ng’oron, and Cheptulel as the worst-hit areas, calling for enhanced collaboration between law enforcement and local leaders.
Among the interventions announced were the vetting and formal registration of National Police Reservists (NPRs), resolution of boundary disputes, and measures to combat highway robberies. Murkomen directed that all national security services operate under their respective station commanders and that vetted NPRs be trained and deployed in support roles.
He warned that rogue reservists who collaborate with criminals or lease out firearms would be prosecuted.
“We want disciplined NPRs. Anyone found aiding bandits will face the full force of the law. We are determined to restore peace and secure meaningful development in Kerio Valley,” he said.
While these measures have been welcomed in principle, many residents remain sceptical. Repeated promises over the years have failed to deliver lasting peace. As the situation evolves, stakeholders now urge the state to rethink its strategy - moving beyond military interventions to include economic empowerment, inter-ethnic dialogue, and genuine political will to address the root causes of the conflict.
Community elders and church leaders have also proposed the reactivation of cross-county peace committees, as had been done in earlier years with some success. These grassroots-led initiatives, they argue, are more effective in promoting understanding and deterring youth from joining bandit networks.
With insecurity now threatening to reverse hard-won development gains, pressure is mounting on the government not only to act swiftly - but decisively. The people of Kerio Valley are crying out for protection, justice, and above all, peace.
