Pastor Victor Kanyari has sparked a wide range of reactions after dedicating an entire church service to honouring his late ex-wife, gospel musician Betty Bayo.
The Salvation Ministries Healing co-founder is still grappling with the reality of her death. Bayo, the mother of his two children, passed away on 10 November after a prolonged fight with leukaemia.
The 11th Hour hitmaker was laid to rest on 20 November in a deeply emotional ceremony.
A Grieving Father Still in Pain
During the Sunday service held on the day she died, Kanyari opened up to his congregation about the depth of his grief.
He described Bayo as someone he cared for profoundly and admitted that healing had begun—until a photograph of her flashed across the screen.
“I felt completely shattered,” he told worshippers. “My children have lost their mother… she is the one who named them.”
He reflected on their co-parenting years, recalling how he regularly paid for the children’s flights and upkeep whenever they travelled abroad.
“I used to send them money for return tickets. I even paid KSh 1 million for their first-class trip to the US,” he said.
The preacher also shared a tender moment with his daughter Sky, remembering how she had recently ordered outfits and asked him to pay.
Though some of the clothes were shorter than he preferred, he said he chose not to upset her, given the recent loss.
He contrasted this with his own upbringing, saying his mother was far stricter. “My children are different—we have to give them what they need.”
Conversations About the Future
Kanyari recounted a difficult exchange with Sky, who bluntly asked him what plans he had for her and her brother now that their mother was gone.
He said the question caught him off guard. “I told her I want them to study hard and eventually move to the US,” he said, adding that she walked away afterwards as she was with her stepfather at the time.
On Remarrying and Expanding His Family
Though he has remained single since parting ways with Bayo, Kanyari hinted that he may be open to having more children.
He jokingly mentioned to his secretary that he hopes to father more kids because “children are special,” explaining that they stay emotionally connected to their parents even in difficult times.
In a humorous tone, he said he was considering a “kienyeji” partner—someone simple, traditional, and grounded.
Custody Questions After Betty’s Passing
The death of Betty Bayo reignited questions about who would care for her children, Sky and Danivictor.
Before her burial, the public conversation focused heavily on the role of her partner, Hiram “Tash” Gitau, with whom she lived in Edenville Estate.
The children had developed a warm relationship with him, and Betty had once shared that Danivictor played a part in bringing them together. Sky also famously said she had “two dads.”
Betty’s mother, who lives in the United States, was another name raised as a possible guardian.
During this period, Kanyari made it clear that he wanted his children to live with him. He even revealed plans to move them into a KSh 90 million home in Runda.
BY Geoffrey mbuthia
