Kasipul MP Boyd Were has chosen a path of peace and forgiveness following the tragic murder of his father, former MP Charles Ong’ondo Were, saying that vengeance will not heal the wounds left by the loss.
He made his remarks on Thursday, December 4, emphasizing that the country and his family need reconciliation rather than retaliation.
Speaking about the incident, Were said he is focused on moving forward and ensuring that cycles of violence that claim innocent lives are brought to an end. He highlighted that no act of revenge can undo the pain suffered by his family or by communities affected by violence.
"I seek no revenge for the killing of my father. Revenge cannot raise the dead, cannot comfort a grieving family, and cannot build a nation," he said.
Were further stressed that his priority is healing and restoring unity, calling on Kenyans to break away from patterns of aggression that continue to destabilize communities.
"Instead, I seek healing, reconciliation, and an end to the cycles of violence that have stolen too many fathers, mothers, and children from this country," he added.
He also paid tribute not only to his father but to all those who lost their lives amid the political campaigns’ violent episodes.
"Today, I honour not only my father but also all those who lost their lives in the violence witnessed during the campaigns," he said.
Charles Ong’ondo Were was fatally shot along Ngong Road on Wednesday, April 30, near the City Mortuary roundabout. At the time, he had just returned from Parliament and was seated in the passenger seat of his vehicle when gunmen struck.
Police reports indicate that the killing was deliberate. According to the National Police Service, a motorcycle carrying two people stopped alongside the MP’s car at a red light before the shooter fired several rounds and quickly fled.
"According to reports confirmed by the Nairobi Regional Police Commander, at around 7:30 pm this evening, a white Toyota Crown vehicle came to a stop at a red traffic light on Ngong Road, near the City Mortuary roundabout. Eyewitnesses have indicated that a motorcycle carrying a rider and a pillion passenger stopped alongside the car. The pillion passenger approached the vehicle and fired shots at the passenger side before jumping back onto the motorcycle and speeding away," the NPS stated.
An autopsy revealed five bullets lodged in Ong’ondo’s body, and his death was caused by multiple internal injuries from the gunshot wounds.
Before his death, Ong’ondo had raised alarms over rising insecurity in his constituency, recalling several incidents where goons disrupted his movements during funeral events. He noted that some of these criminals were not local but had been brought from Kisumu and Migori.
"I went to a funeral in Got Nyang'o, and after the funeral, the road was blocked and I could not pass. Luckily enough, I had security. The following day, at a funeral in Nyatindo, immediately I arrived there, one of the notorious criminals stated that I would not talk there. The villagers there are angered, and what happened is being investigated," he said.
Were’s death has left a deep mark on the community, and his son’s message of forgiveness and reconciliation calls on Kenyans to prioritize healing over hatred.
