KDRTV NEWS – Nairobi: Kenya is reeling from the assassination of Hon. Charles Ong’ondo Were, the Member of Parliament for Kasipul, who was gunned down in a brazen daylight attack on Ngong Road, Nairobi.
According to eyewitnesses and preliminary reports, the legislator was targeted by a lone gunman riding a motorcycle. The assailant fired six rounds, with one bullet—delivered with surgical precision to the left side of the MP’s neck—proving fatal. The nature of the attack suggests it was a carefully orchestrated hit, not a random act of violence.
Hon. Were, who previously served as a member of the National Security Council, was known for his firm stance on matters of governance and national interest. His sudden death has sent shockwaves across the country, igniting calls for justice and renewed concerns about the safety of elected leaders.
“This is a barbaric act. Attacking leaders is an attack on our democracy,” decried Hon. Peter Salasya, MP for Mumias East. “Police must act swiftly and bring those behind this heinous act to book. Rest in peace, Hon. Were.”
A Pattern of Political Assassinations
Hon. Were’s killing is a grim addition to Kenya’s history of high-profile political assassinations. Since independence, seven Members of Parliament have lost their lives under similarly tragic and suspicious circumstances:
Pio Gama Pinto – 1965, Parklands
Tom Mboya – 1968, Kisumu Town
JM Kariuki – 1975, Nyandarua
Tony Ndilinge – 2001, Kilome
Mugabe Were – 2008, Embakasi
George Muchai – 2015, Kabete
Charles Ong’ondo Were – 2025, Kasipul
The deaths of these leaders, many of whom were vocal reformists, have long raised questions about political tolerance and state accountability in Kenya’s evolving democracy.
Conspiracy Claims and Surveillance Allegations
While police investigations are ongoing, a wave of speculation has emerged regarding the circumstances surrounding the assassination. Political analyst and Thika Town parliamentary aspirant Francis Gaitho described the killing as a “cold-blooded execution,” suggesting possible involvement of trained operatives.
Gaitho claimed that advanced surveillance tools may have been used to track the MP’s movements, alleging the possible exploitation of Safaricom’s mobile network using technologies linked to a British firm, Neural Technologies, and involving agencies like the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), the National Police Service (NPS), and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“The precision, speed, and boldness of the attack in a CCTV-heavy zone point to a coordinated and well-resourced operation,” Gaitho asserted.
Government Promises Swift Justice
Responding to the tragedy, Dr. Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, condemned the killing and assured the public that a full-scale investigation is underway.
“We are deeply shocked by the tragic killing of Kasipul MP Hon. Charles Ong’ondo. Our multi-agency teams are actively pursuing leads to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
National Grief and Growing Anxiety
The assassination of Hon. Were has renewed fears about the erosion of political safety and democratic freedoms in Kenya. Civil society groups, political leaders, and citizens alike are calling for accountability and stronger protections for public officials who speak truth to power.
As the investigation continues, the country mourns not just the loss of a leader, but the continued vulnerability of its democratic institutions in the face of violence and impunity.
