A Catholic priest was shot dead on Thursday afternoon in a brutal ambush by armed bandits in Kerio Valley, a region long plagued by insecurity.
The priest, who had just concluded a Jumuiya (small Christian community) mass in Kakbiken village, was heading back to his base in Tot when he and a catechist were attacked.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers sprayed bullets at the duo, killing the priest instantly. The catechist is still missing.
“They were ambushed by a group of armed youth who fired four bullets—three missed, but one struck the priest in the neck,” said a catechist based in Tot.
Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Commander Peter Mulinge acknowledged receipt of reports on the incident and identified the deceased as Father Alloiss Cheruiyot Bett, a priest who was based at St Lumumba Catholic Church in Tot Parish.
“He was returning from prayers and was attacked on his way by people suspected to be bandits,” Mulinge said.
A security operation is underway in the area and Mulinge said it’s believed the bandits suspected the priest to be someone spying on them.
The attack took place around 2:30 pm, just a kilometre from a local police station.
A joint team of police officers, National Police Reservists (NPR), and residents launched a manhunt for the assailants, sparking an exchange of gunfire in the area.
The killing has left the community in shock and mourning. Tension remains high in the area as security forces pursue the attackers.
The murder comes just days after Catholic Bishop of Eldoret Dominic Kimengich raised the alarm over the resurgence of banditry in Kerio Valley.
Despite a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF)-led operation that has been ongoing for two years, fresh attacks continue to claim lives.
Bishop Kimengich, who has been informed of the priest’s death, is said to be on his way to the scene. In recent comments, he decried the persistent insecurity in the region.
“The government should not allow a few people to take us back with the killing of innocent people in Kerio Valley,” he warned.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also been briefed on the incident, which is likely to renew calls for intensified security interventions in the troubled region.
The incident also happens as joint police teams in Nakuru and Nyandarua are investigating the murder of another Catholic priest.
Police picked Fr John Maina Ndegwa from the roadside after he was found unconscious and with serious injuries.
Ndegwa was the Father in charge of the Igwamiti Catholic Parish of Nyandarua.
According to police, he was found on the roadside in Kikopey, Gilgil, Nakuru, on Friday, May 16, over 50 kilometres from his workstation.
Police said they suspect he was injured elsewhere and his body was dumped at the site.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has since called on the general public to ignore speculation circulating online regarding the death of Father John Maina.
An autopsy was conducted on May 19, 2025, by Dr Ngulungu, a government pathologist.
“Preliminary findings revealed that the bruises observed on Fr Maina’s head were unlikely to be the cause of death. Consequently, samples were collected and sent for further toxicological analysis,” the DCI said.
Detectives are now pursuing forensic leads to reconstruct Fr Maina’s final movements, which they hope will lead them to his suspected killers.
Already, several statements have been recorded, with the DCI saying preliminary investigations have established that Fr Maina was being trailed by people who were demanding a share of money he was allegedly given by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after he presided over a silver jubilee anniversary ceremony of Igwamiti Catholic Parish.
