The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops is demanding full investigations into the suspicious killings of Catholic Priests, Fr. James Maina and Fr. Alois Bett, urging the government to take immediate action and reveal the motives.

In a statement dated May 28, 2025, the Catholic Bishops noted that they were greatly saddened by the sudden deaths of two Catholic Priests in quick succession.

“We as the Catholic Bishops of Kenya under the KCCB send our sincere condolences to the Bishop and Diocese of Nyahururu on the death of Rev. Fr. James Maina, and to the Bishop and Diocese of Eldoret for the death of Rev. Fr Alois Bett,” read part of the statement.

The Church leaders added that they were greatly disturbed that both deaths have come with veiled malicious intent, and mystery. 

“We wish to decry the deaths of these ministers of God and the sense of insecurity and helplessness created by such incidents against the servants of God,” they noted.

Fr. James Maina died while undergoing treatment, in what appears to be a case of possible kidnapping. 

In a similar incident, Fr. Alois Bett died violently; shot down by unidentified persons, as he was coming from ministering to the very poor. 

“We as Catholic Bishops are totally dismayed by how cheap life has become, where murders and deaths are taken lightly, and used carelessly for political expediency.

“The work carried out by our Catholic priests goes beyond the service of religion and evangelization. It reaches out to caring for the marginalized, the forgotten and the sick, to bring them hope that does not disappoint!”