Investigations ongoing over the cold blood targeted shooting of Member of Parliament
On the evening of Wednesday, April 30, 2025, Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were was fatally shot along Ngong Road near the City Mortuary roundabout.
According to police reports confirmed by the Nairobi Regional Police Commander, the incident occurred at around 7:30 p.m. when a white Toyota Crown vehicle stopped at a red traffic light. Eyewitnesses told police that a motorcycle carrying a rider and a pillion passenger pulled up next to the car. The pillion passenger approached the vehicle and fired shots at the passenger side before fleeing on the motorcycle.
The MP’s driver and another male passenger, both unhurt, rushed him to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
In a statement released by police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, the National Police Service described the shooting as both “targeted and predetermined.” Detectives have forensically reconstructed the MP’s movements from Parliament to the scene of the shooting and have narrowed down on possible suspects. Investigators continue to pursue all angles, and the motive remains under investigation.
The National Police Service condemned the killing as a “heinous and senseless crime” and assured the public that no effort would be spared in the investigation.
An autopsy will be conducted on Monday, May 5, 2025, by Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor to help determine the cause of death and support the ongoing inquiry.
Several senior government officials, including Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin, Nairobi police boss George Seda, and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, were present at Nairobi Hospital on the night of the shooting.
The MP’s death has sparked grief among fellow leaders. Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, who spoke with Were earlier that day in Parliament, described the news as shocking.
Charles Ong’ondo Were was first elected to Parliament in 2017 and re-elected in 2022 on an ODM ticket. He served on the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy and Irrigation. He held a Bachelor and Diploma in Business Management from Mt Kenya University, as well as a Certificate in Computerised Accounting from Meru University. Before joining politics, he worked in the private sector in leadership roles.