Cheplasgei, Nandi County. In the wake of the cold-blooded murder of Catholic priest Fr. Alloys Cheruiyot Bett, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a bold and sweeping declaration: the government is launching a reinvigorated and relentless security operation in the troubled Kerio Valley region.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with a grieving family in Cheplasgei Village, Kilibwoni Division, CS Murkomen sent a clear and uncompromising message to perpetrators of lawlessness: your days are numbered.
“This government will not sit back and watch as criminal elements terrorise innocent citizens,” Murkomen declared during an emotionally charged condolence visit. “We will pursue every individual involved in these heinous acts. There will be no haven, no sacred ground for killers and criminals.”
Fr. Bett’s death, he said, is a tragic symbol of the evolving threat landscape in the region, with bandits and cattle rustlers resorting to increasingly desperate and brutal tactics as intensified government crackdowns close in on their illegal operations.
Murkomen painted a grim picture of a criminal network on the brink, lashing out in a last-ditch effort to destabilise security efforts that have already disrupted traditional routes for cattle rustling and cross-border trafficking. “What we are witnessing is the reaction of a cornered beast,” he added. “They know the end is near.”
The slain priest, known for his service to the community and his role as a peacemaker, was ambushed and killed in a shocking attack that has sparked outrage and deep mourning across the country. His death has become a rallying point in the national conversation on rural insecurity and the human cost of unchecked banditry.
The Interior CS assured residents that the government is scaling up not only boots on the ground but also intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling the networks enabling such violence. He vowed that justice for Fr. Bett would not be delayed.
“This is not just a fight for Kerio Valley,” Murkomen said. “This is a fight for the soul of our country, and we will win.”
His tough-talking stance has already drawn both praise and scrutiny, as Kenyans await whether this renewed promise will translate into lasting peace in one of the country’s most volatile regions.
As the sun set over the hills of Nandi County, one thing was certain: the government had drawn a line in the sand, and Kerio Valley may never be the same again.