By Judy Maina
NAIROBI — A Kenyan member of parliament was shot dead in the capital on Wednesday evening, triggering widespread shock, grief and condemnation from across the country’s political spectrum.
Charles Were, a lawmaker affiliated with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) — the party led by veteran opposition figure Raila Odinga — was gunned down while stopped in traffic in Nairobi, according to police reports.
The ODM has recently entered a political alliance with President William Ruto’s ruling coalition, underscoring the complexity of Kenya’s shifting political landscape.
No arrests have been made as of Thursday evening, and authorities have yet to publicly identify a motive. However, officials indicated that the killing appeared to be premeditated.
“The assassination of Charles Were is an act of shocking barbarity,” said Mr. Odinga, who has worked with Mr. Were for years. “We are devastated and demand a thorough investigation.”
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula described the incident as a moment of “unspeakable sadness,” while President Ruto called for calm and pledged that “those responsible must be held accountable.”
According to initial reports from Nairobi police, the lawmaker was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle that had stopped at a traffic light around 7:30 p.m. when two assailants on a motorcycle approached.
One of them reportedly fired multiple shots through the window before fleeing the scene. Mr. Were died at the scene from his injuries.
Mr. Were had previously voiced concerns for his personal safety. In past public appearances and social media posts, he claimed to have received threats and warned of an alleged plot against him — fears that now appear tragically prescient.
His constituency of Kasipul, in western Kenya, has recently witnessed a spike in localized violence amid rising political tensions.
While the connection between that unrest and Wednesday’s shooting remains unclear, the killing has intensified calls for greater protection of public officials and a renewed focus on political reconciliation.
The assassination comes at a delicate time in Kenyan politics. Although once a staunch opposition lawmaker, Mr. Were had emerged as a supporter of the recent rapprochement between Mr. Odinga and President Ruto, a move that has stirred both optimism and criticism among their respective supporters.
Meanwhile, as Kenya grapples with the fallout from the killing, questions about motive, security, and the future of cross-party cooperation are likely to dominate national discourse in the coming days.
