On November 20, the family of the late Betty Bayo gathered to honour the life of the celebrated gospel musician.
Family and friends gathered for the farewell service, where her daughter Sky, ex-husband Pastor Kanyari, and husband Tash shared emotional tributes reflecting on her legacy, love, and impact.
Popular Kenyan gospel singer Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua, popularly known as Betty Bayo, passed away on November 10.
A family representative, who spoke to the media at Kenyatta hospital, explained that Betty had been unwell since the previous week, battling acute leukaemia and suffering from excessive bleeding.
Sky Pays Tribute to Betty Bayo
In a deeply emotional and loving tribute, she said:
“This is my tribute to my mom.
We all gathered to remember and honor the woman we all loved — Betty Bayo, simply known to me as mom. I know my mother is no longer with me, and I won’t have the privilege to make any more memories with her. But I believe we shall meet again, and that the same woman who changed the Kenyan gospel industry will continue to guide and change my life.We went through so much that the public never saw. People often judged her based on small misunderstandings, not knowing how much practice, sacrifice, and dedication she put in just to give Kenya the best of her gift. My mother had big dreams for me. She wanted me to reach heights that seemed unimaginable. When she saw my talent, she embraced and nurtured it, no matter what anyone said. She was the only person who truly believed in me and saw something special in me.
The only promise I can make to her now is this: with or without her, I will accomplish all the awards we talked about — and I will dedicate every single one of them to her.
When she fell sick, death never crossed my mind. Nothing major had ever happened in my life, so losing her didn’t feel possible. She was strong. Her sickness started with small headaches, then became so severe she had to go to a nearby hospital. The rest is too painful to explain. She was in terrible pain, yet she still tried to smile for us.
I remember seeing her at AAR, lying on a hospital bed with tubes all around her mouth and nose. I only saw her for two minutes because there were many people around, but I forced myself into the ambulance just to talk to her alone. I told her, “We miss you. We love you. It’s so sad coming home and not seeing you there anymore.”
Every day at school, I told myself that when I got home, I would find her in her favorite spot. But I never did. She couldn’t talk back or move, but tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried her best to respond.
It is heartbreaking to see your mother lying on a hospital bed, fighting for her life. And when I was pulled out of school and told she wanted to see me, I hoped it was good news — that she was coming home. But that wasn’t the case. That was the day my mother was gone.
It is not easy, but I will try my best to stay strong for my little brother Danny and for everyone around us.
Rest in peace, Mom. We love you.”
Also Read: A Tribute to Raila Odinga: The Hero, the Strategist, and the Contradiction
Pastor Kanyari Tribute
Pastor Kanyari revisited the memories they once shared with Betty and offered a sincere apology from the heart. He said:
“I remember how we both struggled years back. You had your story and I had mine. I’m truly sorry that my brand, my name, and my drama put you through difficult moments. Yet even after all that, you overcame. We would still laugh about it, saying your brand grew even bigger despite everything.
Betty, you are a hardworking woman, a forgiving soul, a loving mother, and a true friend. And above all, a woman who loved God with all her heart. You built your life with grace. You raised our children with humility. You forgave more than most people ever could. And you showed the world that pain does not have to destroy you — you can use it to rise even higher.
If there is one thing that pains me deeply, it is knowing that I might have failed you in many ways. But today, I make a promise — before God, before spirit, and before our family — that I will not fail our lovely children. I will step up. I will be present for them. I will guide them, educate them, and make sure they reach where you always wanted them to go.
You may be gone from this world, but you will never be gone from our hearts. Your courage, your strength, your voice, your dream — they will live in our children forever.
Rest well, Mama Dani. Mama Sky, rest well. My friend, rest well until we meet again.”
Also Read: Mama Ida Pens an Emotional Love Letter for Raila
Betty Bayo’s Husband Tash Pays Tribute
Her husband, Tash, stepped forward to deliver a deeply moving tribute. He said:
“Praise God, Church. Praise God. God is good.
To your Excellency, Deputy President Professor Kithure Kindiki, and all protocols observed, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for honouring this honourable Church. And now, I will read my tribute to my dearest wife.
There is a silence in our home now that echoes. It is a heavy, profound quiet where your laughter used to live. My soul knows a new raw footprint — a landscape of loss shaped entirely by your absence.
In losing you, I have lost the compass by which I navigated the world. The pain is a constant low hum. I find myself turning to share a thought with you, only to meet empty space. I reach for you in the night and find cold sheets. The small sacred rituals of our life — the shared glances over the children’s heads, the soft conversations after long days, even the simple act of doing facial care together — are now aching memories.
I am a man learning to walk with a weight he can never put down. But hear this, my love, and hold it close in your eternal rest: my commitment to our children is now the very engine of my life. They are our living legacy, the most precious pieces of you left on this earth.
I want you to have divine peace in your spirit because my promise to you — for Sky and Denise — is that I will always respect their decisions and act in their best interest, while jealously guarding the love you instilled in our family. I will guard their hearts with a ferocity you would recognize. I will be a fortress against the storms, ensuring they never doubt for a single moment that they are cherished, wanted, and adored.
The boundless, effortless love you poured into them will now flow through me — doubled in its intensity — because it now carries my share and yours. You taught me how to love with depth, how to parent with grace, just as your mom taught you. The virtues she instilled in you will remain the anchor of our home.
I promise to take care of mom, just as you taught us, and to strengthen the bond with her and the grandchildren, Sky and Denise. I may not fill the gap as the lastborn she adored, but I will do my best to keep your memories vibrant and alive — just like when you brought both our families together at Christmas. I promise that unity will not fade, and Sky and Denise will help me maintain the bond with their uncles and aunties from both sides.
The children’s holidays and birthday surprises will continue to be honoured, including yours — which is coming up on 24th November, just four days after your resting day.
I am shattered, but I am not broken. I am wounded, but I am armed with the lessons you taught me. I thank God for the days I spent with you. It is hard to accept the will of God, but maybe He simply did not want you to suffer any longer in this cruel and unforgiving world.
Rest now, my beautiful wife. Rest in the perfect peace of God that you so richly deserve. Your watch has ended; mine continues, fueled by a love that not even death can dim. Watch over us until I can hold you again, my love.
Now and always, rest with the angels — until we meet again. Thank you.”
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