NAIROBI, Kenya, May 24 – Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has called for the immediate resignation of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing him of failing to safeguard lives following the killing of Catholic priest Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett in a suspected banditry attack in the volatile Kerio Valley.
Fr. Bett, who served at St. Matthias Mulumba Tot Parish in the Diocese of Eldoret, was shot dead on Thursday in an ambush that has reignited concerns over insecurity in the region.
In a statement posted on her official X account, Wamuchomba also took aim at Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, accusing both ministers of double standards. She noted that they had been vocal critics of former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration for similar failings but had failed to improve the situation since assuming office.
“CS Duale and CS Murkomen were vocal critics of the previous regime for failing to secure bandit-prone areas and for mismanaging healthcare personnel. Today, they preside over the same dockets and face the same unresolved issues,” Wamuchomba stated.
Tagging Murkomen directly, she added: “@kipmurkomen, the killing of the Catholic priest by bandits is heartbreaking. He should resign and return to the opposition benches—he was more effective there.”
Turning to CS Duale, Wamuchomba urged him to remain silent unless he could deliver better terms for healthcare workers. “Otherwise, the ‘One Truth’ spirit is in the air,” she remarked.
Her comments came just hours after President William Ruto vowed decisive action to bring the priest’s killers to justice. Addressing residents of Kerio Valley on Friday evening, the President assured them that the government was determined to apprehend all those involved in the attack.
“We will hunt down his killers as we commit to restore peace in the Kerio Valley,” President Ruto said.
The National Police Service (NPS) has since confirmed the deployment of additional security personnel to the region. A multi-agency operation has led to the arrest of six suspects, who are currently in custody.
In a statement, the NPS condemned the murder as a “heinous act,” extending its condolences to Fr. Bett’s family and the parishioners of St. Matthias Mulumba Tot Parish. The service promised a thorough and swift investigation and affirmed its commitment to holding all perpetrators accountable.
The killing of Fr. Bett has sparked renewed calls for a more effective national security strategy in the troubled Kerio Valley, where bandit attacks have persisted despite repeated government interventions.