Charles Ong'ondo, Jacob Juma, and Other Prominent Politicians Assassinated by Gunmen
- Charles Ong'ondo Were was fatally shot near City Mortuary roundabout by gunmen on a motorbike shortly after he warned that his life was in danger
- Jacob Juma was assassinated in 2016 when gunmen riding a motorbike sprayed his Mercedes-Benz with bullets near Lenana School
- George Muchai, his bodyguards, and driver were gunned down in Nairobi after their SUV was rammed by another vehicle at a roundabout
On April 30, 2025, Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were was tragically gunned down by unknown assailants in what appears to be a targeted assassination.
Source: Facebook
Was Charles Ong'ondo assassinated?
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmaker was reportedly ambushed near the City Mortuary roundabout along Ngong Road by two men riding on a motorcycle, actions that the police say were premeditated.
Eyewitnesses claimed one of the attackers alighted, approached Were’s Toyota Crown, smashed the passenger-side window, and fired six shots at close range before speeding off.
His driver and bodyguard rushed him to Nairobi Hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The brutal killing came just shortly after the MP had publicly voiced concerns that his life was in danger.
This incident adds to a series of high-profile political assassinations in Kenya’s history, where gunmen claimed the lives of leaders who had, in many cases, ruffled feathers with those in the corridors of power.
TUKO.co.ke highlights some of the most prominent political assassinations Kenya has witnessed.
Jacob Juma (2016)
In May 2016, businessman and vocal government critic Jacob Juma was shot dead in Nairobi in circumstances that remain mysterious.
Juma was known for his hard-hitting commentary on corruption and had been involved in legal battles with the state.
Prior to his murder, he had publicly stated on multiple occasions that there was a plot to kill him.
On the night of May 5, gunmen on a motorcycle sprayed his Mercedes-Benz with at least 10 bullets near Lenana School before fleeing the scene. He died instantly.
George Muchai (2015)
Ex-Kabete MP George Muchai was assassinated on February 7, 2015, alongside his two bodyguards and driver in Nairobi.
Their vehicle was rammed at a roundabout near Kenyatta Avenue before unknown attackers opened fire at close range.
Police revealed that the attackers stole a briefcase and the bodyguards' pistols.
Source: UGC
Tom Mboya (1969)
One of Kenya’s most shocking assassinations remains that of Tom Mboya, then Minister for Economic Planning and Development, who was shot on July 5, 1969.
Mboya, a key figure in Jomo Kenyatta’s government and a potential successor, was gunned down on Government Road (now Moi Avenue) in broad daylight.
The assassin, Nahashon Isaac Njenga Njoroge, was arrested, tried, and later hanged.
Mboya’s death triggered national outrage and ethnic tensions, as he was seen as a unifying national leader with presidential ambitions.
To date, many believe the murder was part of a broader political conspiracy to eliminate his growing influence.
How did Charles Ong'ondo's family mourn him?
Rangwe MP Lillian Gogo, a close relative of Ong'ondo, painfully mourned him.
Addressing the press at Nairobi Hospital, Gogo suggested that local politics could have played a role in Ong'ondo's murder.
Gogo expressed her profound sadness, describing him as a dedicated and passionate politician who loved his work.
"It is not in darkness that Ong'ondo Were had his life threatened, a matter which he had already reported to the DCI. The perpetrator of this particular murder is known, and there is a way of violence that is creeping up in Homa Bay politics that must be tamed by law enforcement authorities," she said.
Boid Were, the son of the deceased, eulogised his father as a man of the people and a great man.
He said the family was saddened by their father's death, calling upon DCI to speed up the investigations to bring his father's killers to book.
Leaders mourn Charles Ong'ondo
Following the Kasipul lawmaker's murder, Kenyan legislators expressed deep sorrow over his sudden death.
Saboti MP Caleb Amisi recounted his final interaction with the late MP.
Amisi revealed that Were had hinted things were not going well and had promised they would talk in detail at a later date, but it never came to be.
Caren Nyota, Head of Entertainment Desk, contributed to this article, adding details of how Charles Ong'ondo's family mourned him.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
