Kenyan member of parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were was fatally shot by gunmen after they trailed his car with a motorcycle. Per BBC, the fatal Wednesday incident occurred in the capital Nairobi, and authorities said the attack was targeted.
Authorities said one of the suspects opened fire on Were after getting off the motorcycle. That was after they trailed the deceased MP’s car. In the aftermath of the shooting, Were was taken to the hospital by his driver and bodyguard, but he was pronounced dead after they arrived.
“The nature of this crime appears to be both targeted and predetermined,” police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said in a statement.
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Were was the MP for Kasipul constituency. His alleged assassination came after local media reported that he had claimed his life was in danger. Authorities are yet to determine the motive behind Were’s killing.
The deceased MP had claimed that a scheme to assassinate him was being mapped out by some “hired goons.” He also claimed that the threat to his life was because of local politics. Were in February had registered his displeasure over violence and hostilities that had been happening in his constituency during public events.
“When you hear I have been killed, Kasipul will not be the same again. But I know they won’t kill me because I have the Bible in my phone and another one under my pillow,” the deceased MP said at the time.
In the aftermath of the fatal incident, Kenyan President William Ruto instructed police to launch an investigation into Were’s killing. “Those responsible must be held to account,” he said.
Parliament Speaker Moses Wetang’ula also said Were’s killing was “devastating” and described him as “fearless and distinguished.”
Were represented the Kasipul constituency on the ticket of Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement. Odinga, who is a renown and veteran Kenyan politician, said that his party member was “mercilessly and in cold blood, gunned down by an assassin.”
“We have lost a gallant son of the soil!” Odinga said.
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