Nairobi woke up to mourning and confusion Thursday morning after Charles Ong’ondo Were, a Kenyan Member of Parliament representing Kasipul constituency, was brazenly shot dead in what police believe was a calculated assassination.
The chilling attack happened late Wednesday evening along the city’s busy Ngong Road — an area usually watched by traffic officers and security cameras. According to police, Were’s car had been tailed by armed men on a motorcycle before one of the assailants alighted and approached his vehicle. Then, in an act of cold precision, he shot the MP at close range.
The gunman vanished almost instantly, merging into Nairobi’s night as chaos unfolded. Were’s driver and bodyguard, who miraculously escaped unharmed, rushed him to Nairobi Hospital. But by the time they arrived, it was too late. The 45-year-old legislator was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said initial investigations point to a “targeted and predetermined” hit, not a random act of violence. That suspicion deepens given that Were had previously reported receiving death threats just two months ago. Now, those warnings feel eerily prophetic.
President William Ruto responded swiftly, directing law enforcement to leave no stone unturned in hunting down the culprits. “Those responsible must be held to account,” the president said in a brief but firm statement. His words echo the growing unease that political violence may be rearing its head in Kenya again.
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The murder sent shockwaves through Parliament and across the country. Grieving colleagues gathered at the scene late into the night, many visibly shaken. Some wept. Others voiced outrage. And all demanded justice.
“It’s devastating,” said National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula. “We’ve lost a fearless and distinguished representative of the people. Parliament is in mourning.”
Charles Ong’ondo Were was a vocal member of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), led by longtime political figure Raila Odinga. In a heartfelt tribute, Odinga described the MP as a “gallant son of the soil,” condemning the murder as a “merciless killing in cold blood.”
Odinga, who contested the 2022 presidential election and initially rejected the results, has since forged a political truce with President Ruto. That uneasy alliance, dubbed the “broad-based government,” saw some ODM members enter the national cabinet. But Were remained outspoken and aligned with opposition causes — a fact that now casts a long shadow over the motive for his killing.
Nairobi police are combing through security footage from Ngong Road and nearby intersections, hoping to trace the movements of the attackers. Senior detectives and forensic teams have also been deployed.
As the city processes this painful loss, the streets around the crime scene remain tense. Candlelight vigils are already being planned in Kasipul, where constituents are grappling with the reality that their representative will no longer return home.
For now, many questions remain unanswered — but one thing is certain: Kenya is once again confronting the fragility of its democracy and the price some pay for serving it.
