The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization in Kenya with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. It holds a key influence in matters of national and international interest. The backlash on social media following the death of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were reflected a growing chasm between the public and leaders, with sarcasm and scorn replacing grief. President Ruto instructed the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the MP’s death, but the public remained largely unmoved due to the MP's controversial past.

Political analyst Martin Mureithi questioned how such a man got elected, reflecting disillusionment brewing since the passage of the controversial Finance Bill in June 2024. Arnold Maliba of the Progress Plus Alliance (PPA) party stated that Kenya changed forever on June 25th, 2024, asserting that politicians must accept they serve at the pleasure of the voters and that the "mheshimiwa" title does not grant special treatment. Although President Ruto declined to sign the Finance Bill, it was seen as political strategy. The Mzalendo Trust’s 2024 Parliamentary Scorecard revealed that many MPs did not speak in Parliament, and public participation in legislation is increasingly a formality.

Allegations that MPs were bribed to support the 2024 Finance Bill fueled public anger, with Juja MP George Koimburi claiming payments were made in cash. Mandera North MP Bashir Abdullahi’s comments about the killing of demonstrators sparked outrage. Onyango Jagirango reflected that to be an MP now seems to require corruption, violence, murder, and lying. Activists called for urgent electoral reforms, including the reconstitution of the IEBC and mechanisms to recall underperforming MPs. University student Linet Mwikali likened voting to voting for ghosts, with politicians vanishing after elections. Nairobi businessman Fred Musau called for disarming and detoxifying Kenya’s politics, suggesting Ong’ondo’s death was due to rival political gangs.

Civil society groups are demanding constitutional reforms to empower voters to recall ineffective MPs, along with term limits, campaign spending caps, and independent vetting of candidates. Human rights activist Boniface Akach alleged that MPs are part of a criminal syndicate. DCI obtained CCTV footage showing a suspect trailing Kasipul MP Were before his fatal shooting. The assailant was seen monitoring Were along Wabera Road and later followed his vehicle on a motorbike before firing the shots. The MP’s driver, bodyguard, and M-Pesa agent were questioned. The bodyguard described the attack as lightning-fast and unexpected, with the assassins using a motorcycle to navigate traffic. Detectives believe the killers knew Were had recently switched cars.

Kenyan newspapers reported on the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were and looming taxes that could raise the cost of living. The MP's family accused unnamed politicians of involvement in his murder, claiming he had reported threats to his life. Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i planned to make his first visit to his Gusii stronghold. Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were might have sensed danger and used his child's vehicle on the fateful evening to evade his killers. The lawmaker abandoned his official car to use his son's Toyota Crown, but his attackers still tracked him. He was ambushed at the City Mortuary Roundabout and declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.