The suspect responsible for the shooting of Kasipul MP, Ong’ondo Were, was reportedly seen having lunch at a restaurant on Kimathi Street hours before the fatal incident. The suspect was later observed on Wabera Street, where the MP’s vehicle stopped, and the bodyguard briefly stepped out.
In what appears to be a carefully orchestrated attack, the gunman concealed his identity by wearing a hood. The MP’s family has claimed that the killing was a “political assassination,” orchestrated by individuals opposed to Were’s bid to become Homa Bay Governor in 2027.
CCTV footage from Wabera Street shows the gunman surveilling the MP’s car while the bodyguard entered an M-Pesa shop to deposit Ksh 20,000 into Were’s phone. Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have confirmed that the two suspects trailed the vehicle from Parliament to various locations, including City Hall Way, Wabera Street, Kenyatta Avenue, Jakaya Kikwete Road, and finally Valley Road.
The DCI has revealed that significant leads have emerged in the investigation, with detectives using forensic analysis to track the MP’s movements from Parliament to the site of the shooting. In a statement, DCI spokesperson John Marete confirmed that the investigation is progressing, narrowing down potential suspects.
“The detailed analysis of MP Were’s movements has led to substantial breakthroughs, and we are now closer to identifying the individuals responsible,” said Marete. An autopsy led by government pathologist Johansen Oduor is scheduled for Monday.
Detectives have revisited key locations the MP visited during his final day, including Parliament. CCTV footage has been crucial in piecing together the events leading to the shooting. Reports indicate the MP left Parliament around 6:15 pm, and his car was seen heading towards City Hall Way before turning onto Wabera Street. The CCTV captured the gunman, wearing a hood and carrying a bag, monitoring the vehicle before the MP and his team left the area at 7:19 pm, heading towards Kenyatta Avenue.
At 7:40 pm, the vehicle stopped at traffic lights, and the gunman emerged from a sports bike, approached the car, and fired four shots at close range, fatally wounding the MP in the chest and hand. The killer fled on the bike towards Nairobi CBD through Ngong Road. The bodyguard, who was caught off guard, pursued the attackers but was unsuccessful.
The attack lasted less than a minute, and the MP left bleeding, was rushed to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigators have collected three spent cartridges from the scene, which will undergo ballistic analysis. CCTV footage from nearby shops and testimonies from the MP’s driver, bodyguard, M-Pesa attendant, and restaurant staff are now part of the investigation.
The investigation has also been extended to Kasipul, where authorities are exploring whether the murder was politically motivated.
Meanwhile, the late MP’s family is demanding swift justice. Led by his brother Luke Were and son Boyd Were, they described the circumstances surrounding the murder as highly suspicious, pointing to alleged online propaganda intended to undermine the investigation. “We want the police to uncover the truth behind my father’s brutal murder,” Boyd Were said.
His father, Luke Were, echoed these sentiments, calling for justice and denouncing false narratives being circulated online that attempt to discredit the slain MP’s character.
“We condemn the malicious rumours suggesting my brother was violent. These claims are politically motivated and designed to obscure the truth,” said Luke Were. The family believes the murder was politically charged, particularly as the MP was actively campaigning to become the Homa Bay ODM chairman at the time of his death. They have urged for calm as the investigation continues and have expressed their hope that the police will uncover the truth about the tragic events surrounding the MP’s death.
