Ong'ondo Were: Simba Arati, Family Question Silence of MP's Allies During His Fatal Shooting
- The late Kasipul MP Ong'ondo Were will be laid to rest at his Kachien home in Homa Bay on Friday, May 9
- Government pathologist Johansen Oduor confirmed that Were was shot five times, with bullets damaging critical organs, leading to fatal internal bleeding
- Governor Simba Arati and a family member questioned the silence of the MP’s bodyguards during the shooting and called for the masterminds to be exposed
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Nairobi: Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were, who was fatally shot along Ngong Road by a gunman on a motorbike, will be laid to rest at his Kachien home on Friday, May 9.
Source: Facebook
According to an autopsy report conducted by government pathologist Johansen Oduor, the MP sustained five gunshot wounds.
Three bullets were lodged in his body, while others pierced vital organs, including the heart, lungs, liver, and aorta—injuries that led to excessive bleeding and ultimately proved fatal.
Why were Ong'ondo Were's bodyguards silent during attack?
During a requiem mass held on Wednesday, May 7, at the Consolata Shrine in Nairobi, a cross-section of leaders, family members, supporters, and friends gathered to mourn the legislator and call for justice.
Kisii governor Simba Arati, while addressing mourners, questioned how the MP was shot multiple times in the presence of armed security personnel who failed to respond.
“This is the second time we are witnessing an MP being murdered in their vehicle while bodyguards were present. We must ask: why was there no return fire? Who planned this?” he said, urging Kenyans to reject political violence and mourn with compassion.
A family representative, Hillary, echoed similar sentiments, questioning the security lapse and the timing of the killing, which coincided with Parliament’s last day before recess.
“So the planners are high up and we are urging the security agencies to leave no stone unturned until they get to the root cause of this. Those who were paraded were those who were used. We need to know the sponsors of this heinous crime,” he said.
Source: Youtube
Meanwhile, police have arrested seven individuals in connection with the murder, including Were’s driver and bodyguard, who both escaped unharmed.
Detectives also recovered two pistols—one believed to have been used in the killing—as well as a bag, shoes, and other items from a house linked to the prime suspect in Chokaa, Kayole.
The investigation is still ongoing as calls intensify for a thorough probe and accountability in the high-profile assassination.
How did Ong'ondo Were's suspected killer trail him?
Meanwhile, CCTV footage showed the prime suspect in the Kasipul MP’s murder being dropped off near Parliament Buildings just before 7pm on the evening of the killing.
The footage shows the suspect alighting from a white Toyota Mark Grande before switching to a motorbike to trail the lawmaker.
He was seen loitering near Equity Bank, opposite Parliament, shortly before Were departed at 7.23pm in a white Toyota Crown.
Investigators believe the suspect was strategically positioned to monitor Were’s movements before the fatal shooting, which occurred near City Mortuary.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
