A Kenyan lawmaker shot dead in Nairobi on Wednesday night has shocked the country, The MP, Charles Were, who represented the Kasipul constituency, was murdered around 7:30 PM by gunmen on motorcycles, according to Citizen TV.
Citizen TV reported that the attackers had followed the MP with a motorbike. One of them got off and shot him at close range. He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead. His driver survived the attack. The killing of Kasipul MP Charles Were was also reported by Nation and The Standard newspapers.
Nairobi Shooting Raises Fears of Political Violence in Kenya
Charles Were was a member of the opposition ODM party. The party is led by veteran politician Raila Odinga. Odinga lost to William Ruto in the 2022 general elections. He had rejected the results, claiming the process was rigged. However, he later reached a political truce with President Ruto.
The Kenyan lawmaker shot dead in Nairobi was a known critic of government corruption and insecurity in western Kenya. The method of the attack has raised new fears about the rising use of gunmen on motorcycles to target politicians. Local media reported that the gunmen trailed him for minutes before striking.
Kenya Mourns as ODM Party Demands Investigation
The killing of Charles Were in Nairobi has sparked outrage among ODM supporters. The party has demanded a full investigation into what it describes as a “political assassination.” Police are yet to make any arrests, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Speaking after the news broke, a senior ODM official said, “This is not a robbery. This is a planned hit.” He added that Were had been receiving threats before the attack. The party also blamed rising political tension for the killing.
Kenyan Lawmaker Shot Dead Sparks Calls for Justice
The Kenyan lawmaker shot dead in Nairobi has left a gap in Kenya’s Parliament and deep sorrow in the Kasipul constituency. With elections behind and political alliances shifting, the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Were will likely trigger fresh demands for political reforms and security in Kenya.
His death, caused by gunmen on motorcycles, adds to growing concern about the safety of opposition figures. As Kenya mourns, pressure will be on investigators to find the killers and bring justice.
