NAIROBI, Kenya – On the evening of Wednesday, April 30, 2025, Kenyans went to bed with the devastating news of the sudden death of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were.
He was shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle in a suspected assassination on Ngong Road near the City Mortuary roundabout, often manned by traffic police officers and well secured with security cameras.
The opposition MP elected on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party had two months ago complained about threats to his life, local media reported.
While recalling his last moments, National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed said he was with the slain MP in the House for the better part of the afternoon.
“We were with him today in Parliament the whole afternoon. He left barely 30 minutes before he met his death,” recalled Junet.
How Charles Were shared his last moments with Caleb Amisi
Junet, the Suna East MP, also urged the police to investigate the matter thoroughly.
“Share with Kenyans your findings as fast as possible on what happened to Hon. Were. Our party leader was here with us, and he has conveyed his condolence message. We would like to ask the family that God stands with them at the moment,” he added.
On his part, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, also elected on the ODM party ticket, said:
“I was with my colleague just this afternoon in Parliament, chatted, laughed, and he told me I need a conversation with you, mambo si mazuri (things are not good). His exact words. Five hours later, he is no more. The news is shocking. #RIP,” narrated Amisi.
In a statement, Muchiri Nyaga, the director of corporate communication, said that according to reports confirmed by the Nairobi Regional Police Commander, at around 7 pm on the evening of Wednesday, April 30, 2025, a white Toyota Crown vehicle came to a stop at a red traffic light on Ngong Road near the City Mortuary roundabout.
“Eyewitnesses have indicated that a motorcycle carrying a rider and a pillion passenger stopped alongside the car. The pillion passenger approached the vehicle and fired shots at the passenger side before jumping back onto the motorcycle and speeding away,” said Muchiri.
Who rushed the injured Charles Were to Nairobi Hospital
Muchiri, the NPS spokesperson, disclosed that the driver of the car and a male passenger, both unhurt, managed to rush the injured man to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
“Further details gathered at the hospital confirmed the deceased to be Hon. Charles Were, MP for Kasipul. The nature of the crime appears to be both targeted and premeditated. At this stage, it is too early to provide further details,” added Muchiri.
Muchiri also said that senior police commanders and detectives visited the scene, piecing together the circumstances surrounding the death.
“NPS condemns this heinous and senseless crime and will spare no effort in investigating the matter. The service extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family, parliamentary colleagues, constituents, and close associates,” he added.
How the assailants might have trailed Charles Ong’ondo Were
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo revealed that the slain MP left Parliament minutes after 7 pm, and the actual shooting happened around 7:30 pm on Ngong Road by a passenger on a motorcycle.
“Because we have yet to establish the exact identity of the person, since investigations are ongoing. The driver and his bodyguard, who survived the shooting, took the MP to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It appears this assailant was trailing the vehicle from town,” stated the PS.
PS Omollo termed the shooting a very tragic event, indicating that investigations are ongoing to establish what happened.
“I want to convey condolences from the President; I spoke to him while I was coming here. We would want to assure the public that we will have an expedited investigation process so that we get to the bottom of what took place,” PS Omollo told journalists at the Lee Funeral Home, where the MP’s body was transferred from the hospital.
What Charles Were’s sister-in-law will remember about him
He also appealed for calm, particularly to the people of Kasipul, who he said had lost a leader who had represented them for many years.
“We are going to be sharing with the public the information as soon as the investigations are concluded. We shall continue to work together with the leadership of Parliament to make sure that we go through the motions that are expected, given the untimely and sudden demise of the MP,” explained PS Omollo.
Rangwe MP Lilian Gogo, who doubles up as a sister-in-law to Were, said he was a staunch politician who never missed parliamentary sessions.
“It was not in darkness that Ong’ondo Were had his life threatened, a matter that he had already reported to the DCI. The perpetrator of this particular murder is known, and there is a way of violence that is creeping up in Homa Bay politics that law enforcement authorities must tame. It has ended up taking the life of a Member of Parliament who is a servant of the people, and I don’t think we are ready to lose anybody else. So, I pray that this matter is going to be conclusively brought to book, and we know who murdered him,” said the heartbroken Gogo.
Meanwhile, NPS has appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact the nearest police station, a law enforcement officer, or call the service toll numbers.
