ODM MP Charles Were Shot Dead Along Ngong Road In Nairobi
Were was on Wednesday, April 30 shot dead by unknown assailants this evening at the Nairobi City mortuary roundabout in Nairobi.
Marvin Chege 
Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong'ondo Were has been shot dead.
Were was on Wednesday, April 30 shot dead by unknown assailants at the Nairobi City mortuary roundabout in Nairobi.
The lawmaker, according to two witnesses, was gunned down by two men who were aboard a motorbike, one of whom disembarked and shot him at close range, the two fleeing the scene shortly after.
Witnesses reported that the incident happened at around 7.30 pm. Were was pronounced dead when he was rushed to a Nairobi hospital for a medical assessment.
Portrait photo of the late Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were. /CALEB AMISI
The driver of the lawmaker elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, who was present when the incident occurred, however, survived the shooting. According to reports, the assailants opened fire on the MP while he was caught up in a traffic jam.
He had just departed from Parliament and was en route to Mbagathi Road when two armed individuals who had been following him launched the attack. They shattered his car window and shot him at point-blank range.
This is a matter that prompted investigators to suspect that the attack was a deliberate assassination attempt targeted at the MP, even though the motive of the killing is unclear at this point...for now.
Police reported that the assailants had been following the MP’s vehicle before one of them got out and opened fire at close range, killing the lawmaker. Traffic police stationed at the roundabout also witnessed the incident.
The body of Were lay in the emergency section of the Nairobi Hospital as several colleagues rushed there to view it. Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin, Nairobi police boss George Seda, and Principal Secretary (PS) Interior Raymond Omollo were among those at the hospital.
Detectives from the DCI are reported to be handling the case. Were was in his second term as the Member of Parliament for Kasipul constituency in Homa Bay County, first elected in 2017 on an ODM party ticket.
Before entering politics, he was a well-regarded educationist who served in the Ministry of Education and was a passionate proponent of reforms in Kenya’s public education sector.
In Parliament, he was a member of the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy and Irrigation. He held a Bachelor’s degree and a Diploma in Business Management from Mt Kenya University, along with a Certificate in Computerised Accounting from Meru University. Before his political career, Were held leadership positions within the private sector.
Leaders from ODM and fellow lawmakers condemned the killing with shock and anger, urging authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure justice is served promptly.
"While we join his constituents, the people of the great county of Homabay, his family, colleagues and friends in mourning, we call on the police to investigate the shooting incident and bring the culprits to book," read part of the statement by the ODM party.
Saboti Member of Parliament (MP) Caleb Amisi, who first confirmed his demise, revealed that "I'm deeply saddened by the tragic killing of the MP for Kasipul in Nairobi."
"His commitment to service and leadership will be remembered. My thoughts are with his family and constituents. May he rest in peace," he wrote on his Facebook page.
