Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were was tragically shot dead on the evening of Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in a targeted attack near the City Mortuary roundabout along Ngong Road in Nairobi.
According to eyewitness accounts, at approximately 7:30 p.m., two assailants on a motorcycle approached the MP’s white Toyota Crown, which had stopped at a red traffic light. One of the gunmen dismounted, walked up to the vehicle, and fired multiple shots at close range into the passenger side before fleeing with his accomplice.
The MP’s driver and a male passenger were unharmed and immediately rushed Were to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The National Police Service has described the incident as a “heinous and senseless crime,” indicating that the nature of the attack appears to be both targeted and premeditated. Senior police officers and detectives visited the scene shortly after the shooting to begin collecting evidence. The assailants remain at large as investigations continue.
Charles Ong’ondo Were was serving his second term as the MP for Kasipul constituency in Homa Bay County, having been first elected in 2017 on an ODM ticket. He was a respected educationist before joining politics and previously worked with the Ministry of Education. He served on the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy and Irrigation.
Reports indicate that Were had recently expressed concerns about threats to his life. Saboti MP Caleb Amisi shared on social media that they had spoken earlier the same day, stating, “He told me, ‘I need a conversation with you,’ Five hours later, he is no more.”
