NAIROBI, Kenya — The net is closing in on suspects linked to the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were, with detectives nabbing yet another man—this time at the Kenya-Tanzania border—just as he tried to vanish across the frontier.
The suspect, known by the alias “Kush,” was arrested over the weekend in Isebania while allegedly coordinating a getaway with a relative in Tanzania.
Authorities believe he played a direct role in the MP’s execution, which occurred in broad daylight on April 30, 2025. His arrest brings the number of individuals in custody to 11, all tied to what investigators call a well-choreographed political hit.
Police say Kush, reportedly linked to a Nairobi-based criminal network, traveled to the city’s Central Business District the morning of the murder—intent on completing his deadly assignment.
Phone records and GPS triangulation place him at key crime scenes throughout the day, including where the attack unfolded.
He is said to have ridden the getaway motorcycle and later disposed of the weapon in Kayole’s Mihango neighborhood. Forensic tests confirm the recovered firearm was indeed used in the shooting.
After ditching the weapon, Kush embarked on a winding escape route—first to Narok by motorbike, then by matatu to Isebania.
But his attempts to stay ahead of the law hit a dead end. Detectives tracking his phone calls, including conversations with a relative across the border and fellow suspects in custody, cornered him at a local lodging. Another man found with him was also detained.
Among those already in custody are the MP’s own bodyguard, Allan Omondi, and driver, Walter Owino, along with William Imoli, believed to be the key planner and financial conduit behind the murder plot.
Businessman and politician Phillip Aroko and Lake Basin Development Authority Director Ebel Ochieng have also been named as financiers. Several others, including Edwin Oduor and Dennis Manyasi, round out a growing list of suspects.
While the motive is still under wraps, the clues point to more than just political rivalry. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is poring over financial transactions and recovered cash, some of which was found stashed in Nairobi homes in U.S. dollars. One suspect had KSh615,000 in foreign currency hidden in his residence, believed to be payment for his role.
Police say some suspects have already confessed to being paid in dollars to eliminate the MP.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja revealed that the case is being reinforced by critical evidence: surveillance footage before and after the shooting, the recovery of the suspects’ getaway vehicle, and ballistic tests linking the weapon to the crime scene.
“All exhibits are undergoing forensic analysis,” Kanja noted. “This will help establish both the motive and the full scope of the operation.”
The assassination, now believed to have been plotted well in advance through a series of covert meetings in and outside Nairobi, has gripped the nation and highlighted the dark intersection of politics and crime.
As investigators work to tighten the legal screws, public pressure is mounting for full accountability. What started as a high-profile murder has unraveled into a chilling web of betrayal, money trails, and a plan that spanned counties—and borders.
