Kenyan Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were, representing Kasipul constituency, was shot dead on Wednesday night in Nairobi by gunmen on a motorcycycle.
Police said the attackers had been trailing Charles Ong’ondo Were’s vehicle before one of them got off the motorbike and shot him at close range.
police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said in a statement.”The nature of this crime appears to be both targeted and predetermined,” .
The opposition MP had two months ago complained about threats to his life,
*Key Details:*
– *Location*: The attack occurred along Ngong Road, near a busy roundabout often manned by traffic officers and secured with security cameras.
– *Investigation*: President William Ruto has ordered a thorough investigation, and senior police commanders and detectives are already on the scene.
– *Threats*: Were had complained about threats to his life two months prior to the incident.
– *Reaction*:
– *Raila Odinga*: Condemned the killing, describing Were as “a gallant son of the soil mercilessly and in cold blood, gunned down by an assassin”.
– *Parliament Speaker Moses Wetang’ula*: Described Were as a “fearless and distinguished” legislator, calling his shooting “devastating”.¹
Were was a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party led by Raila Odinga, who lost to President Ruto in the 2022 election. Odinga has since struck a political deal with Ruto, forming a broad-based government.² ³
