Kenyan MP shot dead in ‘devastating’ targeted attack on streets of capital

A Kenyan lawmaker was shot dead by armed gunmen in capital Nairobi, a killing the police said appeared to be targeted and premeditated.

Charles Ong'ondo Were, a member of parliament representing Kasipul constituency in Kenya’s west, died after being shot on the Ngong Road on Wednesday evening when his vehicle stopped at a traffic light, Kenya’s police said in a statement.

The shooter was riding as a passenger on a motorcycle that stopped alongside the lawmaker’s car, the police said, citing a witness.

"The pillion passenger approached the vehicle and fired shots at the passenger side before jumping back onto the motorcycle and speeding away," police officials said in a statement. "The nature of this crime appears to be both targeted and premeditated,” they added.

Were was inside the car along with his bodyguard and driver when the bike approached their car. The pillion passenger, police said, then disembarked and approached the lawmaker’s car before firing at him. His driver and bodyguard were unhurt and rushed him to the Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, according to reports.

Kenyan president Willian Ruto urged the police to conduct a “thorough investigation” and said that those responsible “must be held to account” in remarks issued on Thursday.

Kenyan parliament speaker Moses Wetang'ula called Were a "fearless and distinguished" legislator, as he described his shooting as "devastating".

Were was reelected in 2022 to represent Kasipul constituency in western Kenya for the Orange Democratic Movement Party and was a major opposition voice.

His party leader Raila Odinga has described Were as a “gallant son of the soil”. Mr Odinga was president Ruto’s main challenger in the 2022 general election.

"Were is no more; mercilessly and in cold blood, gunned down by an assassin in Nairobi this evening," Mr Odinga wrote on X.

Mr Odinga had rejected the 2022 election result, alleging irregularities, but he and some of his allies have since struck agreements to work with Mr Ruto to address Kenya's economic and political challenges.

Kenya has been a relatively stable country in the region which has witnessed several civil conflicts in recent years and political assassinations are unusual in the African nation.