Bethuel Kiplagat: A Peacemaker Laid to Rest at Mosoriot

Compiled by William Kiptoo

First shared in The Wonders of Sergoit Hills Facebook group on 9 May 2026.

In the quiet countryside of Mosoriot, in Nandi County, lie the remains of a man who left deep footprints in African diplomacy and the search for peace. Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat was born on 28 November 1936 and died in Nairobi on 14 July 2017, aged 80, after a long illness. He was buried at his home in Mosoriot village on 22 July 2017.

A Diplomat

Kiplagat studied physical sciences at Makerere University and the sociology of religion at the Sorbonne in Paris. He served as Kenya's Ambassador to France from 1978 to 1981, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1983, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1991.

A Peacemaker

He facilitated peace talks during Uganda's turmoil in 1985 and 1986, and was involved in the peace processes in Mozambique between 1988 and 1992, as well as in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. From 2003 to 2005 he served as Kenya's Special Envoy to the Somalia peace process. He founded and directed the Africa Peace Forum, and between 1998 and 2006 he moderated the World Council of Churches' Commission of the Churches on International Affairs. He also chaired the board of the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) from 1991 to 2003, and played a part in introducing microfinance in Kenya.

The TJRC Years

In August 2009 he was appointed to chair Kenya's Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission. He stepped aside in November 2010 after allegations linking him to past abuses, including the 1984 Wagalla Massacre and the murder of Dr Robert Ouko. He was reinstated in 2012, despite objections from civil society groups.

His Legacy

At his death, President Uhuru Kenyatta described him as a "refined peace crusader." He was remembered as a devout Christian and a patriot who played a key role in peacemaking across the region, and also as a figure whose TJRC role drew criticism. Both belong to his story.

He was the son of Rajab Kimagut Boin and Hadija Jepkirech, the husband of Lay Canon Honorine Kiplagat, and the father of Richard and Sahondra.

Sources: this profile is compiled from newspaper obituaries and tributes published in July 2017, and from public records of Ambassador Kiplagat's diplomatic service and his time at the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

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