Online campaign was part of cover up plot against slain MP — Raila

Opposition chief Raila Odinga on Friday led leaders in demanding justice for slain Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were even as he declared he ‘knows’ the masterminds.

Speaking during the burial in Karabok Primary School in Kasipul, Raila disclosed the late MP confided in him that some characters were after his life.

“These people have killed Ong’ondo. I know them. We will not allow the blood of Ong’ondo to go in vain without justice,” Raila said.

“He knew what was going to happen to him. When we were celebrating Piny Luo festival early this year, he squeezed himself into my car and complained that some people trailing him.”

“They were people who are known, I hope the investigation will lead to these people.”

Ong’ondo, a second term MP, was brutally shot on April 30 under circumstances that have shocked the nation and triggered widespread condemnation.

The MP was known for his vocal stance on issues ODM party and many believe his assassination may have been politically motivated.

Raila also noted the perpetrators are the same people behind the online smear campaign against the lawmaker that erupted immediately after the news of his shooting emerged.

He described the online reports coordinated and a cowardly cover up by the very people behind the scheme.

The former Prime Minister singled out the online strolls as an orchestrated smear effort by the perpetrators to shift public focus insisting the killing was a political assassination.

“Ong’ondo is killed and the following day the social media is full of stories of people who Ong’ondo has killed. Those people who organised the social media reports are the same people behind this killing,” Raila said.

“They have arrested some people but they are just agents. The authors of this crime must be brought to book.”

Leaders who attended the funeral also demanded justice insisting the police must unearth the real masterminds of the heinous act.

The funeral drew thousands, including government officials, opposition leaders and constituents.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula condemned the shooting saying Parliament is cooperating with the investigative agencies to reconstruct Ong’ondo’s last moments after leaving Parliament.

“We stand here to condemn those who carried out this criminal act, we encourage DCI and ODPP to bring the perpetrators to book,” Wetang’ula said.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga while making public apology to anybody the late MP might have wronged equally demanded justice to the lawmaker’s family.

“We have seen a part of that team arrested but we want to know the mastermind who called the shots for the murder of Sir Ong’ondo Were,” Wanga said.

Opposition lawmakers also demanded a swift and transparent inquiry on the circumstances that led to his killing.

“In any criminal enterprise, there are usually three groups of people, the mastermind, the executors and conspirators. We know the government has started work but we want government to see all three groups brought to book,” Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo said.

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga said the government must move beyond the five arrested suspects and bring to book their sponsors.

“I am mourning my friend Were, the government should not lie to us about the people they arrested, they should instead tell us the main culprit who organised the murder,” Ruth said.

“If Were was so bad, why did he get elected the first time, then the second time with very many votes,” added Likoni MP Mishi Mboko.

Homa bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma who chaired the burial committee, said they will not rest until the masterminds of Were’s killers are arrested and face justice.

“Our people believe there are people outside there, we will not rest as the leaders of Homa Bay, we will not rest until we know who killed our son. Even if the person is from Homa Bay or seated here, we will not spare them,” Kaluma said.

“We have demanded justice, we are quiet unimpressed. But where we sit, we are convinced that those who have been charged are the dogs and we want to get to the owner of the dogs.”

The MPs also dismissed the negative narrative being peddled on the social media casting the slain MP in bad light.

Governor Ochilo Ayacko, MPs Sam Atandi (Alego Usonga), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna termed the online campaigns a diversionary tactics designed not just to tarnish the lawmaker’s legacy but also to blur the truth, shift public focus.

“There can never be such a sad moment like what has happened here in Homa Bay, here they assassinate somebody and then assassinate his character,” Ochilo said.

“Were’s in death is not the real Were in life. The family of Were deserves justice; whoever was responsible must face justice,” Atandi said.

“It is very unfair, why didn’t you report all these even to us in the party. Now you are making claims when he cannot respond. If you have problem with Sifuna say it when I am alive not when I am gone,” Sifuna said.

The leaders also prevailed upon Raila to consider a member of the late MP’s family for the Kasipul seat.

Kipkelion West MP Hillary Kosgei urged ODM to consider Were’s family whenever they will sit down to nominate a candidate for the seat.

“Your excellency, as a family we request, you know the killers want this position, to shame them and to show them even after killing they will not get the seat. Baba we ask you to endorse one of Were’s children to finish the work,” Kosgei said.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Ong'ondo Were was serving his second term in Parliament when he was felled down on April 30 moments after leaving Parliament. Police have arrested six suspects linked to the murder that has shocked the nation. Leaders who attended the burial while lauding the police for swift investigation, also called for the arrest of the sponsors of the heinous act.