Ong'ondo Were: Gladys Wanga Pays Emotional Tribute to Slain MP, Recalls His Loyalty
- Governor Gladys Wanga described slain MP Charles Ong’ondo Were as a loyal, honest, and dependable leader who was deeply committed to serving the people of Kasipul
- Wanga praised Were’s unwavering support for her gubernatorial bid and his role in grassroots mobilisation and party organisation in Homa Bay county
- The governor remembered him as a devoted family man and Catholic and prayed for justice for his family
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Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga has delivered a moving tribute to the late Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were, who was assassinated on the night of Wednesday, April 30.
Source: Facebook
Were was killed by a gunman on a motorbike along Ngong Road shortly after leaving parliament.
In a heartfelt message, Wanga described the late legislator as a comrade, friend, and brother, recounting a 13-year political journey that began when they first met in Homa Bay.
Gladys Wanga reflects on her relationship with Were
The county boss praised Were for being the first MP to endorse her gubernatorial bid, highlighting his role in popularising her campaign slogan, "Piny Osewuoyo (Dunia Imenena)," and his commitment to grassroots mobilisation.
She remembered him as “a man of his word,” noting his rare honesty and consistency which she claims was sometimes mistaken for arrogance.
“With Sir Chalis, there was never second-guessing. If he supported you, he said so and followed through. If he didn’t, he would still tell you—directly and without mincing words," said the governor.
According to Wanga, Were was a “man of the people,” devoted to his constituents in every way.
“He was in Kasipul every weekend, attending funerals, supporting market women, boda boda riders, and jua kali artisans. He knew every clan in his constituency and worked tirelessly to uplift their lives through education, water projects, and infrastructure development,” she said.
She also honoured Were’s unwavering loyalty—to the ODM party, to its leader Raila Odinga, and to his colleagues.
She credited him with organising one of the most effective party branches in the country and offering strong support to women leaders, including herself, MPs Eve Obara, Lilian Gogo, and Millie Odhiambo.
Source: Facebook
Describing him as a devoted family and churchman, Wanga said Were was “proudly multiparty in his family life, deeply committed to the Catholic Church, and generous in supporting church development.”
While reflecting on his legacy, Wanga said:
“We all strive for perfection and may never reach it, but Were was a good man whose legacy will live on for generations. To his family, you’ve lost a pillar. To his colleagues in Parliament, a dependable ally. And to the great people of Kasipul and Homa Bay, I share in your profound loss.
Go well, my friend. I will miss you greatly. May the angels receive you. May you rest well—and may your killers never rest,” Wanga concluded.
Who killed MP Ong'ondo Were?
Meanwhile, Rangwe MP Lilian Achieng’ Gogo suggested possible motives behind the assassination of Were, revealing that he had reported threats to his life to the DCI prior to his death.
Gogo, who referred to the slain MP as her brother-in-law, claimed that the identity of the killer is already known.
She also raised concern over rising political violence in Homa Bay and called on law enforcement to act swiftly.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
