Investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have made a significant step forward in unraveling the mystery behind the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament, Charles Were, who was shot dead on the night of April 30 in Nairobi.
New details released by detectives point to a well-organized plan to assassinate the legislator, who was gunned down near the City Mortuary roundabout along Ngong Road.
Surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts have helped investigators identify a man believed to have played a central role in trailing and ultimately killing the MP.
According to sources within the homicide unit, Were left Parliament Buildings at around 7:00 p.m. accompanied by his driver and a bodyguard.
The group drove through City Hall Way and made a stop on Wabera Street, where the bodyguard briefly exited the vehicle to deposit Ksh20,000 at an M-Pesa shop.
What seemed to be an ordinary stop now appears to have marked the beginning of a coordinated surveillance operation. Security camera footage from Wabera Street shows a man in a hooded jacket, carrying a bag, lingering near the MP’s vehicle.
The individual is seen glancing at the car repeatedly and communicating via phone.
As the vehicle departed Wabera Street and headed towards Kenyatta Avenue, the driver changed course to avoid traffic, turning onto Ralph Bunche Road. The vehicle was later spotted on Argwings Kodhek Road and then Valley Road.
At a red light on Valley Road, the plan came to a deadly conclusion. The hooded man, now a passenger on a motorcycle, was captured on video jumping off the bike and walking directly to the car. He fired four shots through the window, one of which shattered the glass, while the others struck Were in the hand and chest.
The bodyguard attempted to pursue the attackers but was unsuccessful. He then turned the vehicle around and rushed Were to Nairobi Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Police say they are narrowing in on the suspect seen in multiple surveillance clips from the night of the killing.
“We have managed to identify a person of interest who was clearly tracking the MP’s movements. We believe he did not act alone, and further arrests are expected,” said a senior investigator familiar with the case.
Detectives are also examining ballistic evidence and reviewing mobile phone data in an attempt to map out the broader network behind the killing.
The motorcycle used in the escape is believed to have been abandoned in a nearby estate, and a search is underway.
Charles Were, who was serving his first term as MP, had built a reputation as a vocal advocate for education and youth empowerment. He leaves behind a wife and two children.
Parliament is expected to hold a special sitting in his honor next week.
