I'm sorry my drama put you in difficult moments - Kanyari apologises to Betty Bayo

Pastor Victor Kanyari has paid a heartfelt tribute to his late former wife, gospel musician Betty Bayo.

He recalled their turbulent past and celebrating her resilience, faith, and devotion to their children.

Kanyari admitted that he may have failed her in the past but vowed to honor her legacy through their children.

“I remember how we both trended years back, you had your story and I had mine. I’m truly sorry that my brand, my name and my drama put you through difficult moments. Yet even after all that you overcame and we would still laugh about it and you would say that your brand even grew bigger despite everything,” he said.

“Betty you were a hardworking woman, a forgiving soul, a loving mother and a true friend and above all a woman who loved God with all her heart. You build your life with grace, you raised our children with humility, you forgive more than most people ever could and you showed the world that pain doesn’t have to destroy.”

Kanyari described Bayo as a hardworking woman, a forgiving spirit, a loving mother, and a true friend who deeply loved God.

“If there is one thing that pains me deeply knowing how I might have failed you in many ways but today I promise before God, Spirit and family, I will not fail our children. I will step up, I will step up, I will be present for them, I will guide and educate them and make sure they reach where you always wanted them to go,” he said.

Mourners from all walks of life on Thursday  gathered at Ndumberi Stadium in Kiambu County for the funeral of late Gospel singer Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua popularly known as Betty Bayo.

The singer died on November 10, 2025 as she underwent treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

She passed away following a battle with blood cancer (leukemia) at an advanced stage.

The family explained that Bayo’s illness progressed rapidly, leading to complications that doctors tried to manage before she passed away.

Bayo's life played out at the intersection of talent, faith, scandal, and second chances. 

Betty Bayo’s name first rose in Kenya’s gospel music scene more than a decade ago, her songs resonating with faithful audiences drawn to her emotion, simplicity, and Kikuyu-infused praise style. 

According to past interviews and public records, Bayo was the youngest of eight siblings and grew up in Banana, Kiambu county.

She often recounted being raised in a humble household and leaving school in Form Two due to financial difficulties.

She worked as a house-help for about two years before her family managed to gather enough resources for her to resume her education.

Those early hardships domestic work, small jobs, and her grounding in church became central to her personal story and helped her connect deeply with working-class listeners and single mothers.