NAIROBI, Kenya — The hunt for the killers of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Were is gathering pace, and the dragnet is already closing in.
Over the weekend, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) made two significant arrests in connection to the chilling daylight assassination that has shocked both Parliament and the public.
According to police insiders close to the probe, the suspects were apprehended in a high-stakes Saturday night operation in Nairobi’s Eastlands area.
The raid was spearheaded by a specialized technical team from the Operational Support Unit based at DCI headquarters, signaling just how seriously authorities are treating the murder of the sitting legislator.
But the case is far from closed.
As detectives comb through the details, a clearer picture of the ambush is beginning to emerge—one that reeks of meticulous planning and professional execution.
The swoop in Eastlands didn’t just yield suspects; police also seized a vehicle and three motorcycles believed to have been used to trail the MP before he was gunned down.
While the alleged getaway bike has been recovered, the murder weapon remains elusive, adding another layer of complexity to an already murky investigation. For now, detectives are pinning their hopes on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts from the lawmaker’s driver and bodyguard.
The MP was fatally shot last Thursday near the Kenyatta Hospital roundabout on Ngong Road, reportedly by a lone gunman who opened fire at close range before escaping on a waiting sport bike.
It was the kind of hit you’d expect in a Hollywood thriller—only this one happened in real life, and in Nairobi traffic.
Detectives have also turned their attention to the late MP’s final movements. On the day of the murder, Charles Were spent much of his time in Parliament before departing just before 7:00 p.m., accompanied by his driver and bodyguard.
The crime scene tells its own grim story. Three bullet holes were found piercing through the passenger side of his vehicle.
Bloodstains on the console box mark the violent final seconds of a man who, by all indications, never saw it coming. Police believe the killing was a highly coordinated assassination, carried out by a hired hitman.
On Thursday, the investigation extended to Parliament itself, as detectives interviewed staff and retraced the MP’s steps—hoping for a clue that could stitch together the final puzzle pieces.
The arrests mark a breakthrough in a case that has rattled Kenya’s political class. With two suspects in custody and key leads developing, the DCI is now under pressure to deliver answers—and justice.
But questions still linger. Who ordered the hit? What was the motive? And more crucially, will those responsible face the full force of the law?
As the investigation unfolds, one thing is certain: Charles Were’s assassination has left a permanent scar on Kenya’s political landscape. And until the entire truth is uncovered, that wound will remain wide open.
