The Catholic priest who was shot dead by suspected bandits two weeks ago was laid to rest on Tuesday.
Fr Allois Cheruiyot Bett was buried at the Catholic Cemetery in Ollesos Parish, his home county of Nandi, amid renewed calls for the government to gazette the Kerio Valley as a disturbed area.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen came under heavy criticism over the insecurity in the North Rift, with calls for his resignation for allegedly failing to bring an end to the banditry menace in his home region.
Mourners at the emotional burial ceremony said the government has failed Kenyans, particularly in addressing the ongoing insecurity in the North Rift.
Eldoret Diocese Bishop Dominic Kimengich and Auxiliary Bishop John Arap Lelei called for decisive government action.
Political leaders led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei also faulted CS Murkomen, demanding that he resigns for failing to guarantee the safety of citizens.
“If Murkomen cannot maintain security in his backyard of Kerio Valley, what guarantee do we have that he will ensure safety for the rest of the country?” asked the senator.
He urged the government to gazette Kerio Valley as a disturbed area and conduct a massive security operation akin to the 2007 Mt Elgon crackdown on the Sabaot Land Defence Forces (SLDF) militia.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Church called for the disarmament of all illegal gun holders, including National Police Reservists, who have recently come under scrutiny for their controversial role in Operation Maliza Uhalifu in the North Rift.
“Why should civilians be enrolled in security programs when we have enough trained personnel? Let the police, GSU, and army do their work. Unless someone is protecting these criminals, disarmament should happen immediately,” said Bishop Kimengich.
“For peace to return, those responsible must be apprehended. For our Catholic sisters to feel safe returning, the criminals must be arrested. If they could kill a priest, they can kill anyone,” the bishop added.
Fr Allois, who was in charge of St Matthias Mulumba Parish in Tot, Marakwet East sub-County, was fatally shot by a suspected bandits on May 22.
He had only served five months in that capacity and his death came just four years after taking his priestly vows, during which he committed to promoting peace, hope and equality, the church said.
The protests at his funeral took place while his killers remained at large, despite an ongoing multi-agency security operation to flush out criminals in the region.
Bishop Kimengich shared that he had to cut short his trip to South Africa to return to Kenya following news of the priest’s murder.
Auxiliary Bishop Lelei called on the government to act swiftly and arrest the perpetrators who he said were still walking freely and intimidating residents, especially those they classify as “non-locals.”
“We fail to understand why the killers are still free, twelve days after the murder. These few criminals are tarnishing the image of the Marakwet community. Anyone with information should volunteer it to security agencies,” said Bishop Lelei.
The parents of the slain priest his father Joseph Kiptoo Arap Binder and mother Eunice Chepkemboi were overwhelmed with grief. The family through spokesperson Bett Arap Moek said they had forgiven the perpetrators.
Fr Allois was born in 1992 in Manman Village, Aldai, Nandi County.
He was ordained as a priest on November 5, 2022, and served at Salient Parish in Nandi, before being transferred to Marakwet Boys and later to Tot Parish, where he met his untimely death.
