Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were has been shot dead in a shocking incident near City Mortuary in Nairobi. The legislator was reportedly trailed by two men on a motorbike before being shot at close range while caught in traffic along Ngong Road.
Preliminary police reports indicate that the attack occurred shortly after Were left Parliament. He was headed toward Mbagathi Road when the assailants, riding a motorcycle, smashed his car window and opened fire. The motive behind the murder remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing. His body was taken to Nairobi Hospital, where it lay in the emergency section as leaders and colleagues rushed in to pay their respects.
Among the first on the scene were Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin, Nairobi police commander George Seda, and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo. A wave of shock and grief swept across the political landscape following the news of Were’s death.
Saboti MP Caleb Amisi recounted his final conversation with the slain legislator earlier in the day. “I was with my colleague just this afternoon in Parliament. We chatted, laughed, and he told me, ‘I need a conversation with you. Mambo si mazuri.’ His exact words. Five hours later, he is no more,” Amisi said.
Charles Ong’ondo Were was first elected to Parliament in 2017 and re-elected in 2022 on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket. In the National Assembly, he served on the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy and Irrigation, contributing to policies aimed at enhancing sustainable development in the water and agriculture sectors.
Before joining politics, Were built a career in the private sector, holding leadership roles that shaped his perspective on governance and economic empowerment. Academically, he held a Bachelor of Business Management and a Diploma in Business Management from Mt Kenya University, alongside a Certificate in Computerised Accounting from Meru University.
His death marks a tragic loss for the Kasipul constituency and the nation. Police are pursuing leads as leaders and citizens alike demand swift justice for the brutal murder of a sitting MP in broad daylight.
