Pastor Victor Kanyari laments kids sharing after Bayo’s death in a raw outburst that has gripped the nation, as the controversial pastor voices fears over his children’s future just days after losing ex-wife Betty Bayo to leukaemia.
The gospel singer’s sudden passing at age 35 has left a void in Kenya’s Christian music scene, but it’s the custody whispers among friends and online that have Pastor Victor Kanyari reeling.
“Yaani watu wameanza kugawana watoto wangu jameni? Hatujazika,” he said in a viral video, his voice cracking with grief and frustration.
The phrase translates to “So people have started sharing my children already? We haven’t even been buried” captures the whirlwind of emotions swirling around the family.
Bayo’s death was confirmed last weekend at Kenyatta National Hospital, where she succumbed after a brief battle with the blood cancer that caught many off guard.
Kanyari, her ex-husband since their high-profile 2018 split, rushed to the mortuary on Monday, breaking down in tears as he viewed her body alongside their two children, Sky and another young one.
The moment, captured on video, showed the once-feuding couple’s co-parenting bond holding firm in tragedy. But amid the mourning, Kanyari’s latest lament has shifted focus to the kids.
In a live session on Facebook late Tuesday, he addressed rumours buzzing on social media about who would step in to raise Sky, 11, and her sibling.
Close allies, including fellow pastors and church members, have publicly offered to “take the children” as a show of solidarity, framing it as communal support in line with African extended family traditions.
“We are family in Christ,” one friend posted on Instagram, vowing to provide a stable home if needed. Yet Kanyari sees it differently. “This is my blood, my responsibility,” he told reporters outside his Kasarani home.
“Betty and I agreed on everything before she left us. Let us grieve first.” The outcry taps into broader anxieties in Kenyan celebrity circles, where divorce and death often spark custody battles played out in public.
Kanyari and Bayo, whose marriage ended amid scandals including his fake miracle exposés, had maintained a civil co-parenting setup.
Sources close to the family say they shared holidays and school runs, shielding the kids from tabloid frenzy. Now, with Bayo gone, legal experts predict a will or court petition could clarify guardianship, but Kanyari insists on unity.
“No one is taking them from me,” he added, wiping away tears. “These are our babies, not prizes to divide. Supporters praise the offers as “godly love in action”, while critics call it opportunistic meddling. “Leave the man to bury his ex in peace,” tweeted a fan.
Online debates rage in comment sections, some speculating on the children’s future schooling or church involvement.
One viral TikTok clip remixes Kanyari’s words over sombre gospel beats, amassing 200,000 views in hours. Bayo’s current husband, identified only as a low-profile businessman, has stayed silent, reportedly focusing on funeral logistics set for Saturday at a Nairobi chapel.
He joined Kanyari at the hospital, a gesture insiders hail as mature amid the pain. Meanwhile, young Sky broke her silence with a heartfelt post: “Mum, you were my everything. I’ll make you proud.”
The girl’s raw words, shared via a family account, show the innocence caught in adult drama.
Kanyari has leaned on his Jesus Winner Ministry flock for solace, holding prayer vigils that draw hundreds.
He revealed nightmares haunting him since the loss, with Bayo’s image pleading for the children’s care.
“She appears in my dreams, saying, ‘Protect them,'” he confided during a sermon snippet. This vulnerability contrasts his fiery pulpit style, humanising a figure long dogged by controversy.
As Kenya’s evangelical community rallies, questions linger on support systems for bereaved families. Child welfare groups like the Kenya Children’s Bill advocates urge counselling over speculation.
“Betty fought till the end for us. I’ll do the same for our kids,” he vowed. In death, Bayo unites what life once divided, but Kanyari’s lament reminds all: some bonds defy easy sharing. This story of loss and legacy resonates beyond the headlines, prompting reflections on family, faith, and forgiveness in turbulent times.