A member of Kenya’s parliament has been shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle in the capital, Nairobi, in what police believe was a targeted assassination.
Charles Ong’ondo Were, who represented the Kasipul constituency, was attacked on Wednesday night. Police say the assailants had been trailing his vehicle before one of them dismounted the motorbike and shot him at close range.
“The nature of this crime appears to be both targeted and predetermined,” police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said in a statement.
Local media reports that Mr. Were, an opposition MP, had complained of threats to his life just two months ago.
His driver and bodyguard, who were unharmed in the attack along Ngong Road, rushed the injured MP to Nairobi Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival. The attack occurred near a busy roundabout often patrolled by traffic police and equipped with security cameras.
Senior police commanders and detectives visited the scene shortly after the shooting, and investigations are currently under way.
Kenyan President William Ruto has ordered a thorough investigation into the killing, stating that “those responsible must be held to account.”
Fellow legislators who visited the scene on Wednesday night expressed their shock and outrage, calling for swift investigations and justice.
Parliament Speaker Moses Wetang’ula described Mr. Were as a “fearless and distinguished” legislator, calling his shooting “devastating.”
While the motive for the killing remains unclear, Mr. Were had publicly claimed that “hired goons” were plotting to assassinate him, attributing the threat to local political tensions. In February, he had voiced concerns over increasing violence and unrest during public events in his constituency in western Kenya.
On Thursday, homicide detectives visited the scene alongside Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, who stated that “investigations have advanced.”
Mr. Were was serving his second term in parliament as a member of the Orange Democratic Movement, led by veteran politician Raila Odinga.
In a statement, Mr. Odinga condemned the killing, describing the legislator as having been “mercilessly and in cold blood, gunned down by an assassin.” He added, “We have lost a gallant son of the soil!”
Mr. Odinga, who lost the 2022 election to President Ruto and rejected the results citing alleged irregularities, has since entered into a political agreement with the president, leading to some opposition members joining the cabinet in what is termed a “broad-based government” – a move that Mr. Were reportedly supported.
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