Three senators from the North Rift region are among leaders now seeking dialogue with the Catholic Church, which has suspended most of its operations in Kerio Valley following the killing of Father Allois Bett.
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago led calls for discussions with the church to address escalating insecurity in the region, intensified killing of Bett two weeks ago, allegedly by bandits.
Mandago announced plans to meet with Bishop Dominic Kimengich of the Eldoret Diocese to discuss peace and security.
"We humbly request that the bishop grant us an opportunity so we can discuss the future of the region, considering what has transpired," he said.
Mandago, along with Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator William Kisang, attended Bett's requiem mass in Eldoret on Monday. They jointly urged the government to swiftly apprehend the priest's killers.
He appealed to the Kerio Valley community to assist security agencies in apprehending Bett's killers. He reiterated his call for a meeting between the church and local leaders to chart a way forward, stressing that residents knew the perpetrators and must reveal them to authorities.
Senator Kisang expressed regret that the killing occurred in his constituency. He said that the community had initially requested time to surrender the perpetrators but had failed to do so.
"Our community had asked for some time to produce the killers, but they have not, and we now ask the government to take over and arrest those involved," Kisang said.
Kisang described Bett as a humble and hardworking priest dedicated to peace in the bandit-ravaged region, questioning why he was targeted.
"He told all of us he wanted to work for peace for everyone. He even wanted support to reach all unreached areas, and his loss is regrettable," Kisang added.
He expressed hope that the killers would still be apprehended, despite not being arrested before the burial. Kisang also mentioned that community elders had already sought forgiveness from Bett's family.
He added that he himself had greatly benefited from the Catholic Church's work in Kerio Valley, receiving support for mediation efforts.
Senator Cherargei termed the killing "domestic terrorism" and demanded that the region be classified as a disturbed area where criminals should be disarmed.
"We are asking ourselves why was Bett killed brutally that way and who did it. Why kill such an innocent man of God?" Cherargei questioned, urging the Catholic Church to continue supporting the community rather than withdrawing.
During the mass, the family of the slain priest announced they had forgiven those responsible, expressing hope that his blood would bring lasting peace to the region. Eunice Bender, Bett's mother, led family members at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Eldoret, though she did not address the service led by Bishop Dominic Kimengich.
Family spokesman Amos Samoei confirmed their forgiveness, saying it was to ensure a smooth send-off for Fr Bett, who was laid to rest in Nandi county. However, the family protested the delay in arresting the killers.
Samoei said that while the family initially had many questions, they decided two days prior to forgive the killers, hoping their son's sacrifice would usher in lasting peace and unity in Kerio Valley. He questioned why security agencies had swiftly arrested the killers of an MP in Nairobi recently but had failed to apprehend Bett's assailants.
Armed men attacked Bett as he returned from a Jumuiya mass at a village about two kilometres from the church. His murder sparked widespread condemnation, along with heightened tension and fear in Kerio Valley.
Tension persists in the region, leading to the withdrawal of 100 health workers, including nurses and clinical officers, after the Catholic Church suspended its missionary operations and stations, including the Chesongoch Mission Hospital, due to worsening insecurity. The hospital, a vital healthcare facility in the region, employed most of these workers and served thousands of residents.
A statement from the Missionary Benedictine Sisters officially announced the closure of their Kerio Valley mission due to insecurity. The statement cited "continued unrest" following Fr Bett's killing, causing "mental, emotional and psychological trauma to our sisters." The mission said it was now unable to run essential services due to staff fleeing the area.
"We have therefore arrived at the decision, with immediate effect, to close our mission stations indefinitely until the area is safe for service," the statement signed by Sister Rosa Pascal, head of the mission, said.
She clarified that the closure was for the safety of sisters, employees and visitors, and also to pressure the government for a lasting solution, including disarming civilians.
Sister Pascal added that the move aimed to remind the Kerio Valley community of the mission's relevance, saying, "If the community does not consider our mission as essential to them, then there is no need of our presence."
