Philip Aroko Claims Governor Wanga Framed Him For MP Charles Were Murder
Aroko denied any involvement in the late MP’s assassination that occurred on April 30.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
Homa Bay politician and businessman Philip Nahashon Aroko has made damning accusations against Governor Gladys Wanga while presenting himself at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in response to earlier summons in relation to the ongoing probe into the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were.
Speaking on Wednesday night, May 8, while flanked by his lawyer Danstan Omari, Aroko denied any involvement in the late MP’s assassination that occurred on April 30.
The businessman expressed his willingness to cooperate fully with investigators, asserting that he has nothing to conceal. DCI earlier treated him as a person of interest in the ongoing probe and ordered him to surrender at the nearest police station without delay.
"The situation that we are in is very unfortunate. I don't want to talk about it because it is an investigation and I want to leave the police to do their job, they summoned me to come and I am here, if anybody has anything to ask me, I'll be ready to answer it," he stated.
Photo of businessman and politician Philip Nahashon Aroko, labelled a person of interest in the murder of MP Charles Ong'ondo Were. /DCI
However, he claimed that the investigation is being influenced by political interference. Aroko attributed his police summons to Governor Wanga, accusing her of trying to implicate him in the murder of MP Were. He challenged the governor to present any evidence she may have connecting him to the crime.
"I want to tell the people of Homa Bay County that the politics in that county has turned into madness; it is not politics, it is thuggery. I saw the Governor pushing so much for me to be called here; she is making calls to the police for me to be called here to make a statement. She has achieved it now," he ranted.
"If she has something that she is sure about, then she has to prove her push for me to come here. I want to tell her that we are changing the politics from thuggery to civilised politics in that constituency because those who fight, kill and maim people are employees of the county government of Homa Bay. They are on her payroll. She has never talked about anything, but she has achieved this one, and she has pushed for me to be here."
Lawyer Omari further alleged that Aroko’s summons were driven more by county politics than factual evidence, suggesting that influential figures appear intent on preventing him from attending the late MP Were’s funeral.
“We have instructions that the reason why Mheshimiwa Aroko is being called to appear is to prevent him from attending the funeral. Politics of exclusion during funerals will not survive in this country; Mheshimiwa has a right to attend and bury and proceed with the final rituals of the late Sir Charles,” he said.
“Anybody who is scared of his popularity…rumour has it that they want to detain him, charge him for murder and deny him bail…the law has been settled, Mheshimiwa Kapondi has been elected when he was in prison serving a jail sentence.”
Omari later confirmed that Aroko, after reporting to the DCI headquarters, proceeded to Gigiri Police Station, where he was formally booked. He was expected to remain in custody overnight and would be interrogated on Thursday, May 8.
“He has been allowed access to his advocates, wife, and there is no cause for alarm. The police will deal with this matter as provided for by the police standing order. He will be interrogated, he will record his statements in the presence of his advocates," he stated.
Philip Nahashon Aroko responds after DCI names him as person of interest in Kasipul MP Charles Were murder probe#ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/GsfaQIxezz — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) May 7, 2025
Previously, Viral Tea established through past news reports that Aroko was involved in illicit gold deals. He was among 15 suspects who were charged with conspiracy to defraud a Chinese businessman of Ksh 300 million for fake gold in 2019.
Nahashon, interestingly, had in 2023 announced his intention to contest for the Kasipul MP seat. In a post on his Facebook account on May 1, 2025, 24 hours after the killing, he reminisced about the late Were as a 'worthy competitor'.
MP Ong’ondo Were, a second-term lawmaker, was fatally shot on April 30 in what authorities suspect was a carefully orchestrated assassination involving a sophisticated criminal syndicate and possible internal collaborators.
Nine individuals, including the MP’s driver and bodyguard, have been taken into custody as persons of interest. Among them is William Imoli, also known as Omar Shakur, who allegedly confessed to being paid Ksh 80,000 by the MP’s bodyguard to transport unidentified individuals to a location near the scene of the killing.
The high-profile murder has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, triggering a wave of allegations involving criminal gangs, rogue security officers, and betrayal from within the MP’s circle.
As Philip Aroko becomes a central figure in the investigation and vows full cooperation, attention now turns to Gigiri Police Station — and the potentially explosive revelations that may emerge.
