Betty Bayo’s Mother Pushes for Urgent Post-Mortem

The mother of the late gospel singer Betty Bayo has stirred intense public debate after going public with troubling concerns about the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s death.

Betty, who was celebrated for her uplifting Kikuyu gospel songs and growing influence on social media, died on 10 November at Kenyatta National Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment.

Her family announced that she had been battling leukaemia, a form of blood cancer. She was later laid to rest at an emotional funeral service held at her family home in Mugumo Estate, Kiambu County.

Betty’s Mother Calls for Answers

In a recent TikTok Live session hosted alongside US-based content creator Shiru wa Oakland, Betty’s mother, Joyce Wairimu, recounted the final conversation she had with her daughter.

Speaking from the United States, Wairimu said she was still struggling to accept the official explanation surrounding Betty’s death.

She claimed her daughter endured difficulties in her marriage and expressed distress shortly before passing away. According to Wairimu, Betty’s voice was filled with pain during their last phone call.

She recounted her daughter asking, “Why and who I left her with,” a question that has now taken centre stage in her calls for further investigation.

Wairimu insisted that an urgent post-mortem was necessary, saying the family needed clarity on what truly happened.

“A post-mortem needs to be done because my child cried to me, asking why and who I left her with. I also need my documents and everything that belonged to Betty. For example, why is my ID still there? What are they doing with it? The burial permit, why does he have it? Even the name on it needs to be changed,” she said during the livestream.

ALSO READ: “She Never Told Us”: Betty Bayo’s Brother Shares Painful Details of Her Final Days

Wairimu, who is preparing to travel back to Kenya, further expressed frustrations with the way affairs were handled in the days leading to the burial.

She claimed that meetings meant to address key family issues were not attended by those she expected, complicating communication.

She also caused alarm after declaring that Betty’s children should be moved immediately: “Those kids need to leave. If it is possible for it to happen today, I would like those kids out of there. Everyone should tell Kanyari that is what I have said. They can be taken to Wanjiku.”

The custody situation has been a major topic of public discussion, with some insisting the children should stay with their biological father, Pastor Victor Kanyari, while others feel her partner Tash or extended family members would be more suitable.

Public Reactions to the Exhumation Debate

The suggestion of a post-mortem has fuelled speculation that the family may pursue an exhumation, a move that has split opinions online.

Many Kenyans questioned why such concerns were being raised only after the singer was laid to rest.

Some of the reactions included:

Iam_kelvin: “They know something we don’t know.”
Kikuyu_og_: “Mbona as family hamkusema lazima postmortem before burial?”
Kimotho_official: “I saw this coming. Tash might end up being sidelined and end with no right to claim Betty's property.”
Evenovah: “Where was she this whole time?”
Tessie: “Wooiye… si Betty angefanyiwa postmortem before azikwe.”
Rish Kamunge: “Kanyari winning.”
Timinah Nzomo: “Don’t do that mum, you will be disturbing the peace of your grandkids.”
Clementine Nyawanda: “I have listened to both sides and concluded that the people Betty called family disappointed her… no wonder she was afraid to ask for help.”