Pastor Victor Kanyari has spoken out following the death of his ex-wife, gospel singer Betty Bayo, revealing that he was never informed about her illness before she passed away.

Betty, known for her hit “Eleventh Hour,” died on Monday, November 10, at Kenyatta National Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia.

During a live session on Wednesday, November 12, Kanyari emotionally dismissed claims that he had been contacted by those close to her. He said he only learned of her death, not her condition, leaving him devastated.

“I am not one to neglect women. Nobody looked for me. Betty was ill for two weeks and I was not told. If I was told, I would have fought day and night for her,” he said.

The preacher questioned how such a severe illness could have taken her life within such a short time.

“Cancer doesn’t just appear one day and kill you the next. There’s a big problem because she must have been battling it for a long time,” he said.

“I Would Have Taken Her Abroad”

Kanyari expressed deep regret that he was not informed sooner, insisting he would have done everything possible to help.

“If I had been made aware, I would have done my best with her, even taken her to India. Cancer does not kill you in two weeks. If they needed us to raise funds, we could have, and maybe we wouldn’t be here today,” he said.

He also appeared to criticise those close to the singer for failing to closely monitor her condition, suggesting that timely action could have made a difference.

Fans Console the Pastor

Kanyari’s revelation triggered an outpouring of sympathy from Kenyans online.

• Irene Wangari: “May God give you more strength to raise your kids.”

• Sara Wangari: “She was the mother of your children, you should have been told.”

• Shiku Kimani: “It was already stage 4… blood cancer doesn’t show pain until the last minute.”

Many commended the pastor for expressing his grief publicly, acknowledging the complexity of their past relationship but noting that shared parenthood binds them forever.

Read Also: Revealed: Why Betty Bayo Never Wanted to be Photographed & Posted Online While Sick

A Complicated History

Betty and Kanyari’s relationship, which began in the early 2010s, was one of the most publicised unions in Kenya’s gospel scene.

They had two children together, and while Kanyari insisted he had paid dowry and considered her his wife, Betty later denied they were ever formally married.

Their relationship ended amid controversy following a 2014 TV expose that linked Kanyari to alleged fake miracles. Betty distanced herself from him shortly after, saying the marriage had broken down emotionally long before the scandal.

In the years that followed, both pursued different paths. Betty remarried businessman Tosh Gitau, while Kanyari continued his ministry and remained active in his children’s lives.