Kenyans have taken to social media in shock and sorrow following the killing of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were.
The legislator was gunned down on the evening of Wednesday, April 30, near the City Mortuary roundabout in Nairobi.
According to eyewitnesses, the MP’s vehicle was approached by two individuals on a motorcycle shortly after 7:30 p.m. One of them alighted and opened fire at close range, fatally shooting the MP.
Strikingly, the gunman left without harming the MP’s driver, suggesting the assassination was targeted.
Traffic police stationed nearby are reported to have witnessed the shooting. Were was rushed to Nairobi Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Just a day before his death, Ong’ondo had posted on his social media pages, sharing a video and images from a burial he attended in his constituency.
In the video, he is seen leading a crowd dressed in ODM party colours, chanting the party’s name with pride. “Largest party in East and Central Africa,” he declared.
The photos show the late MP flanked by supporters, some in Gor Mahia jerseys, raising his hands in what now feels like a final public celebration of his political life.
Ong’ondo had attended the burial of a longtime ally, Joel Abach, the ODM Vice Chairperson at Katanga Polling Station.
In a tribute, the MP described Abach as a “strong pillar in our political journey” and praised his loyalty to ODM’s vision and values.
Watch the Video Below:
Chilling Video
In the aftermath of Ong’ondo's death, Kenyans have resurfaced older videos where the MP voiced fears over his safety.
In one video from two months ago, recorded during a public event in his constituency, the soft-spoken legislator warned that certain individuals were actively plotting to end his life.
“I am being followed,” he said, appealing to the national security agencies to step in. Ong’ondo expressed concern about rising political violence in Kasipul, which he attributed to external interference.
He alleged that non-residents were being used to disrupt public events, a pattern he said was growing in frequency and boldness.
One particularly disturbing incident occurred in Nyatindo, East Kamagak Ward, where goons reportedly disrupted a funeral he was attending. He questioned why local security leadership had not addressed the attack.
“In the two incidents, the security committee did not make any comment,” he noted at the time.
In another account, Ong’ondo described how a road was blocked after he attended a funeral in God Nyango, forcing him to rely on his security team to escape.
The following day, he attended yet another burial in the same area and was again threatened.
These warnings, which at the time may have been overlooked, are now seen as chilling premonitions.
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