Who fired the deadly shots that snuffed out Kasipul MP's life?

The humid Nairobi air hung heavy as Charles Ong’ondo, Kasipul MP, slipped from Parliament's imposing gates at about 6 pm on Wednesday.

From Parliament, he passed through a popular joint a long Jakaya Kikwete Road.

A seasoned politician, he felt the prickle of unease, a premonition clinging to him like the city's dust.  He ditched the familiar comfort of his usual ride, opting for the anonymity of a Toyota Camry.

Valley Road stretched ahead, the familiar route to Langata. Unseen, however, shadows followed; a silent, deadly ballet unfolding in the city's underbelly. 

The City Mortuary roundabout became their final stage. Trapped in the snarling traffic jam, the Camry idled beneath the dying sun. Then, a flash of movement – a motorbike slicing through the congestion like a viper.

A pillion passenger stepped out and leveled a weapon with chilling precision.

The first shot shattered the windowpane, coming as a shock to the MP who was busy on his phone.

The bullet hit his hand before the gunman opened more fire.

In the meantime, the bodyguard in the backseat panicked. The driver too could not move in the gridlock.

The staccato bark of gunfire shattered the evening's routine, leaving behind a tableau of chaos and a politician silenced forever, his political career ending not in the halls of power but in the heart of the city's relentless pulse.

The Camry, once a symbol of discreet travel, became a macabre monument to a life abruptly extinguished, a testament to the brutal efficiency of gangland justice. 

The gunman pumped at least five bullets into Were’s body before he jumped back to the motorcycle and sped off with his rider.

Two bullets were lodged in his body while the others tore through the chest, exiting to the back.

The driver made a u turn after the killers had escaped and raced to the nearby Nairobi Hospital where the MP was pronounced dead on arrival.

The two-time ODM MP was shot in the chest. He was seated in the co-driver’s seat.

Police who visited the scene said they recovered three spent cartridges.

Police say they are yet to establish the motive of the murder but believe it was targeted and premeditated.

His bodyguard and driver were not harmed.

The bodyguard told the police he panicked as the action caught him unaware and unfolded quick.

He said he was unable to respond to the lone gunman who killed his boss at close range after he saw his pistol and was distracted by the gunshots.

National Police Service spokesman Michael Muchiri said they regretted to confirm the tragic and senseless killing of the MP.

“Eyewitnesses have indicated that a motorcycle carrying a rider and a pillion passenger stopped alongside the car. The pillion passenger approached the vehicle and fired shots at the passenger side before jumping back onto the motorcycle and speeding away,” Muchiri said.

The police described the nature of the crime to be both targeted and premeditated.”

“At this stage, it is too early to provide further details. Senior police commanders and detectives are at the scene, piecing together the circumstances surrounding the death,” Muchiri said.

He condemned what he called the heinous and senseless crime and said they will spare no effort in investigating the matter.

Homicide detective visited the scene on Thursday as part of the probe. They were accompanied by the deceased MP’s driver and bodyguard who narrated what happened.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Director DCI Mohamed Amin, Nairobi police boss George Seda and PS Interior Raymond Omollo were among those at the hospital on Wednesday night.

“As the ministry responsible for security, I want to assure everyone that our multi-agency teams are actively pursuing the criminals and are diligently following all leads to apprehend those responsible,” Omollo said.

His body lay at the emergency side as several colleagues rushed there to view it.

The body is at the Lee Funeral Home. A postmortem is planned to establish how he died.

The car was driven to Kilimani police station. ODM party which sponsored him to Parliament in the 2022 polls, said Were was in Parliament for the better part of the day and left at 6:15 pm after participating in business of the day.

The party called on the police to investigate the shooting incident and bring the culprits to book.

President William Ruto Thursday called on police to investigate and bring to book the killers of the MP.

He said those responsible must be held to account.

“We urge the police to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident. Those responsible must be held to account,” he said in a statement.

Ruto joined a long list of those mourning the death.

Party leader Raila Odinga issued a statement saying they had lost gallant son of the soil.

“Hon Charles Ong'ondo Were is no more; mercilessly and in cold blood, gunned down by an assassin in Nairobi this evening. Rest in Peace Hon Sir Charles Ong'ondo Were!” he said.