Fresh CCTV footage has revealed further details regarding the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament (MP) the late Charles On’gondo Were. The footage has divulged the final movements of both the legislator and his killer before the fatal shooting in Nairobi.
Investigators probing the case have zeroed in on a suspect captured on multiple CCTV cameras, trailing the late MP Were’s vehicle in what detectives now believe was a carefully executed hit.
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Investigations by Police reveal the footage shows the lawmaker’s car navigating through the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) shortly after he left Parliament on Wednesday, April 30 evening, accompanied by his driver and bodyguard.
The vehicle was first spotted along City Hall Way before turning onto Wabera Street, where it briefly stopped.
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Last moments of Kasipul MP Charles On’gondo Were
At this point, the On’gondo Were’s bodyguard exited the car and entered a nearby M-Pesa shop, where he reportedly deposited Ksh20,000 into the MP’s phone.
During this brief stop, a hooded man carrying a backpack was seen near the car, closely monitoring its occupants.
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Moments later, at around 7:19 p.m., the MP’s vehicle was seen on camera joining Kenyatta Avenue, before joining Valley Road and diverting to Ralph Bunche Road in a bid to avoid traffic, eventually joining Argwings Kodhek Road.
Unbeknownst to them, the hooded suspect was still trailing them—this time riding a pillion on a sports bike.
CCTV footage later captured the bike following the MP’s car closely as it approached the Valley Road – Ngong Road roundabout at City Mortuary, where the vehicle came to a halt at a red traffic light around 7:40 p.m.
The gunman quickly disembarked from the bike, walked up to the car, and fired four shots through the passenger window at close range.
The MP was hit in the chest and hand. The assailant then sprinted back to the waiting bike, which sped off toward the city centre.
Also Read: Charles Ong’ondo Were Profile: Education Background, Politics, Family and Net Worth
The attack, which lasted less than a minute, reportedly caught the MP’s bodyguard off guard who ducked for cover as gunshots rang out.
Once the shooter fled, the bodyguard reportedly jumped out to chase after the attackers but found they had already vanished into traffic.
He then rushed to the MP’s aid after which with help from the driver, raced him to Nairobi Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Investigations intensify
The driver’s and bodyguard’s accounts have become key to the investigation, as has the CCTV trail that captured the suspect’s movements before and during the shooting.
On Thursday morning, homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) led by Director Martin Nyuguto returned to Valley Road to reconstruct the events. They recovered three spent cartridges at the scene, which are now undergoing ballistic analysis.
Detectives have also been reviewing footage from shops along Wabera Street, where the suspect was first seen shadowing the MP’s vehicle.
Three individuals—the driver, the bodyguard, and the M-Pesa attendant—have been questioned so far. Authorities are also extending their probe to Kasipul to explore possible political motives behind the assassination.
Also Read: Wetangula Gives Orders to Police IG After MP’s Murder
The new developments come after President William Ruto directed the National Police Service (NPS) to launch a full investigation into the shocking murder.
In a statement shared on Wednesday, President Ruto expressed deep sorrow over the death of the legislator and demanded that the assailants behind the fatal attack be brought to justice.
“May God grant the family and the people of Kasipul strength to bear with the loss of Hon. Charles Ong’ondo Were. We urge the police to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident. Those responsible must be held to account,” Ruto said.
Family turns heat on Gov’t over lapses in MP’s security
Meanwhile, the family of MP Charles On’gondo Were has shifted blame to the government following his assassination.
The family while speaking on Thursday at Kachien village in Homa Bay County, expressed disappointment at the laxity in the late lawmaker’s security.
Through their spokesperson, the family said Were had complained several times about threats he received and reported to the police over fear for his life, yet no action was taken.
In February, MP Were claimed his life was in danger following an increase in violent incidents in his constituency, which he said were being orchestrated by parties outside Kasipul.
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