Volatile Kasipul: How MP Were murder exposed violence, deaths and goons

On February 8, just weeks before his murder, Mr Were revealed that a plan had been hatched to assassinate him.

 "A former MCA and his associate are planning to bring police officers from outside Kasipul and youths from Kisumu to a function which I will attend to cause chaos and shoot me dead," he said.

On April 30, in a gangland-style execution not too long after leaving Parliament, Mr Were was shot five times as he headed to his Karen home. His execution revealed what many Kenyans did not know about the politics in Kasipul constituency. 

The legislator's murder was one in a series of deaths in a bloody and chaotic political environment.

Read:  Revealed: What detectives have on suspects in MP Charles Were murder
 

Sad cases include a nose cut off, limbs chopped off, an ear lost to the swing of a blade, and a broken skull. Damage to property, including vehicles, paints a volatile picture of Kasipul.

On the day he died, Mr Were was in Parliament until 7.24pm when he left for his Karen home. He stopped at an M-Pesa agent to withdraw Sh20,000, before proceeding to Ngong Road through Valley Road.

At the roundabout of Nairobi Funeral Home—formerly City Mortuary—they were ambushed. The MP was shot five times. He died a few minutes later.

That night, Rangwe MP Lilian Gogo did not mince her words as shell-shocked Members of Parliament gathered at Lee Funeral Home, Nairobi, to view the remains of a man they had seen alive just a few minutes ago.

“Charles Were had his life threatened, a matter which he had already reported to DCI. The perpetrator of this murder is known and there’s a wave of violence that is creeping in Homa Bay politics that must be tamed by authorities. It has ended up claiming the life of an MP,” Ms Gogo said.

Five months

Ms Gogo's sentiments were echoed by other leaders. This highlights a worrying situation in Kasipul, as well as the extremes of its politics.

“My brother complained bitterly for five months. He wrote to the DCI in Nairobi, but to our surprise, no action was taken. People sent him threatening WhatsApp messages,” said Mr Paul Were, the MP’s brother.

He continued: "I think there are people who are interested in this seat. He was killed because of the politics surrounding the Kasipul and Homa Bay County chairmanship."

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and opposition leader Raila Odinga also said the former MP had expressed fear for his life or had problems with his security.

“At one time, he had a problem with his security and they took his gun. I instructed the Clerk of the National Assembly and within one week it was rectified,” Mr Wetang’ula said.

During the MP's funeral in Kasipul, Mr Odinga recounted cases where Mr Were had feared for his life.

“He actually knew what was going to happen...when we were celebrating Luo Piny early this year...after the function was over Ong’ondo jumped into my car and told me that some people were trailing him...that they were people with bad intentions. Those people have been trailing Ong’ondo for a very long time. The authors of this crime must be brought to book,” Mr Odinga told mourners.

Read: Kasipul: Ill-fated constituency that has lost two MPs in mystery deaths

The case of Ong’ondo Were has exposed the political situation in Kasipul and Homa Bay County. Residents of Oyugis town paint a painful picture of what their constituency has become.

Battleground

Here, they said, a funeral is easily turned into a battleground for politicians and their hired goons. Peter Coke, a local resident, said that he had attended two funeral services when the violence broke out.

“It was pathetic. Funerals in Kasipul should be declared unsafe,” he said.

Mr George Odhiambo shares the same thoughts. He blames politicians for the current state of affairs in the constituency. He also criticises the youth for being incited to violence.

“Tough economic times make youths fight each other. They are hired by politicians to provide security, but they end up fighting one another,” Mr Odhiambo said.

The last incident of political violence before Mr Were died was at a funeral that the MP attended. It happened in Kachola village on April 28, 2025. 

Crude weapons

Mr Edward Okwanyo was attacked and hit on the head with an iron bar during the burial of his cousin. After Mr Were’s death, his picture with a blood-soaked body was circulated on social media.

I was seated near my cousin's coffin when Mr Were and his supporters arrived at the funeral.

Read: Murdered MP’s many battles and how Kasipul became a hotbed of violence

According to Mr Okwanyo, the slain MP was accompanied by goons who were armed with crude weapons.

 “The weapons are hidden in their clothes. Some of them even struggled to sit down properly. One could easily spot those who had machetes or clubs hidden in their trousers,” said Mr Okwanyo.

Previously, he and the MP were friends before they fell out. 

Mr Okwanyo claimed he was marked as a wanted man by youths who would accompany Mr Were to different events in Kasipul.

“They would hold meetings and discuss people they did not like and how they could be punished,” he said.

At the funeral, according to witnesses, Mr Were arrived and started chanting ODM songs.

“His supporters stood up when he started singing political songs,” Mr Okwanyo recalled.

In a video, the MP is seen leading a team of ODM supporters from the tent to the middle of the field where the funeral service is being conducted.

Mr Okwanyo said youths who accompanied the MP took advantage of the situation to attack him. He claimed other people were attacked for writing personal opinions on social media.

He argued that the MP considered some of the comments as bad for his political career.

“Some people would be attacked in hotels. Some of his critics would be stabbed and left with permanent injuries,” he claimed.

He claimed that some of his attackers were Homa Bay County government enforcement officers.

“I know some of them by name. I even called them out, but they went ahead to execute their mission,” he says.

The county enforcement officers have been accused of being behind some of the violent attacks in the region.

However, Isaac Ongiri, the Homa Bay County Devolution and Governance Chief Officer, has refuted claims that the county's askaris are behind some of the political attacks.

“We have seen such claims, that’s not true...county has disciplined directorate, much-civilised inspectorate. They don’t engage in politics,” said Mr Ongiri.

Mr Juma defended his brother after he (the MP) was accused of being behind the attack on Mr Okwanyo at the funeral.

He said Mr Okwanyo was attacked after the MP had left the funeral.

“We don’t even know who caused the chaos,” he said.

Mr Juma said the MP was accused of crime, yet no one lodged a complaint to police.

He argued that the absence of charges against the slain legislator is a testament that he was not violent as some people claim.

Political violence in Kasipul has not only led to injuries to people but also led to the death of others. Evance Okoda was murdered in April 2024.

His family lives in Basii Village in the neighbouring Kabondo Kasipul constituency.

Since 2013, Evans had often been hired by politicians in the region as a bodyguard. He has served more than five politicians.

His stepmother Lilian Okoda said: We were shocked when we went to the mortuary. He was defaced. The body was dumped outside his rental house in Oyugis Town with his palm missing."

The family says it is yet to know who killed their kin. Ms Mary Okoda, Evans’ stepmother said they have never been told if any suspects were arrested after the death of their son.

“What we know is that he was brutally murdered. The attackers used a machete to eliminate him. His missing palm was taken to the murder scene after a week. This was after we cried out that we could not bury the body with a part of it missing,” she said.

Mr Patrick Okoda said his brother started working as a boda boda rider before he switched to offering security services to politicians.

Some of the prominent leaders he served include former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga, former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and former Kabondo Kasipul MP Silvance Osele.

His family says Evance he would get calls from leaders from other counties including Kisii and Siaya who sought his services.

At the time of his death, Evance was one of the security personnel for businessman Philip Aroko, one of the fierce critics of Mr Were.

Mr Ongiri described the late Evance as a strong youth who worked for many politicians but who had many enemies as well. 

“Nobody has been told what happened. Some people attempted to link it to the late MP (to Evance's murder) but there was no evidence, he was not questioned by police,” Mr Ongiri said.

Ms Mary Okoda said some people linked Evance’s death to Mr Were.

Read:  Why MP Charles Ong'ondo Were was a 'marked man'

“He took part in Mr Were's campaign, and it would be difficult to point an accusing finger at him,” she said.

The family is, however, concerned about the slow judicial process that has kept them in the dark about whether suspects were arrested and charged as law requires.

“We need justice for Evance. The government should ensure his killers are arrested,” Ms Mary Okoda said.

What is troubling the family is that investigations into the death of Mr Were has had significant progress with suspects being arrested and arraigned.

Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo faulted the media for not giving the family of Mr Were an opportunity to defend themselves after the death of their kin. During his burial, she said the slain MP had his reputation tainted.

“You cannot paint somebody like a demon when he has no voice. You have a right to report accurately,” the legislator said.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga described the slain MP as a man who was quick to ask for forgiveness.

“In the event he wronged anybody, I ask for forgiveness on his behalf. Sometimes people make mistakes,” she said during Mr Were's burial.

Ms Margaret Were, the widow of the slain MP, described him as a man who loved peace.

While the leaders have defended the slain legislator, some residents believe that Mr Were was no saint.

His integrity was also criticised on different grounds, including the controversial disappearance of Ms Dorothy Apondi, a 35-year-old woman who went missing in 2010 after the slain legislator took her to work in Meru.

Ms Nancy Adhiambo, Dorothy’s sister, said they had looked for their sister without success. The family said had also reported the case to police.

“I went to Meru police station and reported the case. But instead of getting help, I was frustrated,” she claims.

According to Ms Adhiambo, the legislator, tore her statement at the police station. This matter resurfaced soon after the assassination of Mr Were.

Mr Juma said the woman who went missing was their relative. He, however, questioned why the family of the slain MP was accused of being behind the disappearance of Dorothy.

He said the woman could have just walked out of the house.

“Being an adult, she could have done anything. My brother was at home when she left and he died when he wanted to find out the truth about the whereabouts of the woman,” he said.

To date, the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Dorothy remain unknown.