Kenyan police have confirmed that the fatal shooting of opposition lawmaker Charles Ong’ondo Were on Wednesday evening in Nairobi was a targeted and premeditated attack.
Were, who represented Kasipul constituency in western Kenya, was gunned down around 7:30 p.m. while his vehicle was stopped at a traffic light along Ngong Road. According to police and eyewitness accounts, two men on a motorcycle approached the vehicle, with the passenger disembarking to shoot at the MP through the passenger side window before fleeing the scene.
“This crime appears to be both targeted and premeditated,” police said in a statement released late Wednesday.
Political assassinations are rare in Kenya, which is considered relatively stable compared to its conflict-prone neighbors. The incident has sent shockwaves through the nation and drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum.
Were was a member of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, led by veteran politician Raila Odinga. Reacting to the news, Odinga posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Were is no more; mercilessly and in cold blood, gunned down by an assassin in Nairobi this evening.”
Odinga lost the 2022 presidential election to William Ruto and initially rejected the results over alleged irregularities. However, in recent months, Odinga and several allies have reached agreements with President Ruto to address Kenya’s pressing political and economic challenges.
Investigations into the murder are ongoing.
