Charles Were, a member of parliament representing the Kasipul constituency in western Kenya, was shot dead in a targeted attack on April 30, 2025. The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when Were’s vehicle was stopped at a traffic light on Ngong Road in Nairobi. The assassination has shocked the nation, not only because political killings are a rare occurrence in the country.
By then, the late lawmaker was a member of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party. This opposition party is headed by the veteran politician and former presidential candidate, Raila Odinga. Not surprisingly, Odinga was most saddened by Were’s death, labeling it a merciless act perpetrated in cold blood. On X, he added, “Were is dead.” Before he could realize those dreams, he was mercilessly gunned down by an assassin on the streets of Nairobi this evening.
Witnesses said the attacker pulled up to Were’s vehicle on a motorcycle. The pillion passenger then used the vehicle to take position and shot towards the passenger side. Then they all hopped back on the motorcycle and drove off. This type of attack indicates premeditation and planning.
After the shooting, Kenyan parliamentary staff and forensic specialists locked the vehicle to preserve evidence. Investigators are still trying to figure out what motivated the assassination and who is behind the gunman. Considering Kenya’s long history of being an oasis of peace in a region bedeviled by political chaos, these incidents of political violence are particularly shocking.
The brutal assassination of Charles Werre has left many shocked. Now, colleagues in the ODM party of which he is a member are raising their voices. Instead, they describe their grave apprehensions of how such violence will shape Kenya’s political future. They fear that future reprisals like this one will intimidate elected leaders as well as hopeful ones, leading to a chilling effect.
