Father Josiah Asa K'Okal, Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett, Father John Maina, Bishop Luigi and Fr Anthony Kaiser.
Senators are pushing for the formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate rampant killings of Catholic priests in the country, the latest being the brutal murder of Fr Allois Bett.
The lawmakers have accused President William Ruto’s government of going silent over the murder of the clergy by suspected bandits.
Raising the alarm, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale Khalwale said the increased cases of murder of Catholic priests necessitate a commission of inquiry.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale.
He cited the deaths of fathers Bett, John Maina in 2025, John Njoroge Maina in 2018, Martin Macharia Njoroge in 2003, Bishop Luigi Locati (2005) and Fr John Anthony Kaiser (2000).
Other priests murdered were Evans Oduor in 2017, Michael Siendo in 2019 and Eutychus Muthuri of Meru in 2019.
The Senate majority whip said that apart from Fr Locati, where investigations were done and a priest was arrested, convicted and is now serving a jail term, other cases have not yielded any meaningful results.
“Where it has reached, we must call for and form a commission of inquiry into the killings of Catholic priests,” said Mr Khalwale.
“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,” he added.
Fr Bett was from St Matthias Lumumba Catholic Church in Tot Parish in Elgeyo Marakwet County but hailed from Kilibwoni in Nandi County. He is set to be buried today (Tuesday).
He was ambushed and shot dead on May 22, 2025 after he had just concluded a Jumuia Mass or a small Christian community meeting at Kabien Village and was headed back to his base in Tot Parish.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said the Catholic church has endured traumatic experiences over the past 20 years.
Gunshot wounds
He decried that just days before the recent killing of Fr Bett, Father John Ndegwa Maina of Igwamiti Parish in Nyandarua was found with multiple gunshot wounds.
“The most distressing aspect is that no arrests have been made. The public is keenly observing how security forces handle individual cases,” said the ODM Secretary-General.
“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,” he added.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot wondered why it was difficult to take action and bring the perpetrators to book yet the name of Fr Bett’s killer is known.
Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot.
“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,” said Mr Cheruiyot.
He decried why there is no urgency to investigate the killing as is applied when the victim is a “big person” in the country.
“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,” said the Kericho senator.
The senator called for the gazettement of Kerio Valley as a disturbed zone and deployment of the best forces, so that area residents "can sleep peacefully in their homes".
“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.
In the meantime, the Senate’s Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations has been tasked to investigate circumstances that led to the shooting to death of the unarmed priest who was in the company of other people that were unhurt during the incident, including details of the motive behind his murder and the status of investigations.
Following a statement by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, the committee led by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo will also provide reasons why the police, up to date, are yet to arrest any person involved in the murder of the Priest, despite being said to have had an ongoing operation in the area to flush out bandits from their hideout, despite earlier promises.
Senator Cherargei observed that the state of security in the general North Rift regions has deteriorated due to sluggish and ineffective response by both the police and Kenya Defence Forces when bandits attack.
He said that in the past few days, the region had witnessed a rise in cases of insecurity, leading to deaths and loss of property, particularly in Baringo, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, and Samburu.
