ELGEYO MARAKWET, Kenya – A Catholic priest was shot and killed in Tot, Elgeyo Marakwet County, on Thursday morning, in a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves through the local church and community.
Father Alois Cheruiyot Bett, who was serving at St. Lumumba Catholic Church, was reportedly ambushed by gunmen in the volatile Kerio Valley region while on a pastoral mission.
Police say the priest had stopped in Mokoro village area to lead prayers when his convoy was attacked.
Police say six suspects have since been arrested
Confirming the incident, Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Commander Peter Mulinge said officers have been deployed to the scene as investigations begin.
“We are still gathering details on the circumstances surrounding the priest’s death and will issue a full statement in due course,” Mulinge said.
The Catholic Diocese of Eldoret described the attack as “heinous and senseless,” mourning the loss of a man widely known for his humility, deep faith, and peacebuilding efforts in a region long plagued by intercommunal violence.
“Fr. Bett was a compassionate soul and a pillar of hope. His murder is a devastating blow not only to the church but to the broader community,” said Eldoret Diocese Auxiliary Bishop John Kiplimo Arap Lelei in a statement.
The fate of a catechist who was accompanying Fr. Bett remains unclear, with church officials reporting that he is still missing following the attack.
Fr. Bett had been actively involved in promoting peaceful coexistence among communities in the conflict-hit North Rift region.
PRESS STATEMENT : SHOOTING INCIDENT INVOLVING FATHER ALLOIS BETT
His death underscores the growing insecurity in parts of the country, especially in areas officially classified by the government as ‘disturbed and dangerous.’
The killing comes just weeks after a deadly cattle raid in Kilepoi, Baragoi, Samburu County, where six people were killed and eight others injured.
In response, the government has intensified Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a military-police campaign aimed at flushing out armed criminals in the North Rift.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring order.
“We will not relent. Every illegal firearm must be surrendered. Peace must return to the North Rift,” Murkomen said in a recent statement.
The government last year declared six counties—including Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Laikipia, and Samburu—as hotspots of insecurity due to recurring banditry and cattle rustling.
Fr. Bett’s murder is now being seen not just as an attack on an individual, but on efforts to bring peace to a troubled region.
