Kenyan MP shot useless in ‘devastating’ focused assault on streets of capital | EUROtoday

A Kenyan lawmaker was shot useless by armed gunmen in capital Nairobi, a killing the police mentioned seemed to be focused 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 night when his automobile stopped at a site visitors mild, Kenya’s police mentioned in a press release.

The shooter was using as a passenger on a motorbike that stopped alongside the lawmaker’s automobile, the police mentioned, 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 officers mentioned in a press release. “The nature of this crime appears to be both targeted and premeditated,” they added.

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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”.

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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 isn’t any extra; mercilessly and in chilly blood, gunned down by an murderer in Nairobi this night,” Mr Odinga wrote on X.

Mr Odinga had rejected the 2022 election outcome, alleging irregularities, however he and a few of his allies have since struck agreements to work with Mr Ruto to handle Kenya’s financial and political challenges.

Kenya has been a comparatively secure nation within the area which has witnessed a number of civil conflicts lately and political assassinations are uncommon within the African nation.