In the quiet hills of Homa Bay, a storm is gathering.
The fatal shooting of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were has opened a fresh wound in Kenya’s already fragile political landscape. And with accusations flying and tempers flaring, leaders are now scrambling to calm the storm before it spirals further.
On Saturday, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) hit back at what it called “irresponsible remarks” from the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), after several party leaders accused the government of playing a role in Were’s killing.
“It is on record that the UDA leadership—both nationally and at the county level—has called for speedy investigations into the brutal murder,” said Silas Jakakimba, UDA’s Homa Bay Secretary, in a statement issued late Saturday.
He urged leaders from all sides to “foster an environment of peace and cohesion,” stressing the need for calm as the investigation continues.
But that appeal came only hours after a heated address from top ODM leaders who had travelled to Kasipul to mourn their fallen colleague. From the family home of the slain MP, their anger was unmistakable.
“This was not random,” said Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga. “This was planned. The State must come clean.”
Wanga, joined by Senator Moses Kajwang’, MPs Millie Odhiambo and Opondo Kaluma, suggested Were’s murder was politically motivated and potentially carried out by trained assassins. They claimed the MP had made multiple reports to police about threats to his life—concerns they say were ignored.
“We signed a working agreement with this government to help Kenyans, not to witness extrajudicial killings,” Wanga added, in a direct swipe at the Kenya Kwanza administration, with whom ODM recently struck a bipartisan cooperation pact.
MP Kaluma went further, warning that ODM may withdraw from the agreement if arrests are not made quickly.
“The future of that partnership depends on how this murder is handled,” he said bluntly.
Calls for accountability have grown louder. Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara and Teso North’s Okuu Kaunya, both members of the funeral committee, asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to collect CCTV footage from the scene and arrest the suspects before the burial.
So far, details of the shooting remain scarce. Police have confirmed a probe is underway, and the DCI says it will conduct “a thorough and impartial investigation.” But public confidence is wearing thin.
The killing has stirred painful memories of political violence in Kenya’s past. And in western Kenya—an ODM stronghold—many are watching closely for signs of justice.
Still, UDA insists the accusations are premature and divisive.
“We urge for maximum restraint,” said Jakakimba. “Kenya is a multiparty democracy. All parties have a right to operate freely without fear or suspicion.”
That message may struggle to land amid rising political distrust. But with tensions simmering and a family in mourning, the country now waits—for answers, for justice, and for cooler heads to prevail.
