Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

- Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has suggested that the assassination of the late Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong'ondo Were could have been avoided.

Speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday, May 14, Murkomen highlighted some security steps that Were could have taken to avoid the incident.

According to Murkomen, the former Kasipul lawmaker knew that his life was in danger but failed to deal conclusively with the threat.

"So it depends on the level of threat. You can see from the member of parliament that he had a higher level of threat. He was already worried about the security from before, and maybe the real problem was the failure to deal with the threat conclusively," Murkomen said.

The Interior CS argued that the former Kasipul MP should have publicly named people planning to harm him or reported them to the police for action.

Murkomen added that if the threats were reported to the police, then the officers are to blame for not taking action against people who had threatened the Kasipul lawmaker.

"Even if it means making sure these people are arrested or calling for a meeting or exposing their names publicly if he knew them or a failure of those who were reported to if it is true that it was reported to the police station, to apprehend the people involved could have led to his death," he added.

The Interior CS noted that Were's security threats were complicated, given that his bodyguards had been accused of being part of those who planned the assassination.

"We are also now told that the security detail could have been culpable in terms of involvement in his murder. It calls into question the fact that it is enough to have a bodyguard. Is it enough to have a security detail?

Loyalty of the people who serve with us. What was the motive? Were they induced with finance? Did they have a problem with the member of parliament?" he posed.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party and Members of Parliament expressed shock and grief following the fatal shooting of Ong’ondo.

The party confirmed that the lawmaker was killed shortly after leaving parliament and urged the police to thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

ODM stated that Were had spent most of the day engaged in parliamentary business before departing around 6:15 pm.

Several lawmakers, including Saboti MP Caleb Amisi and Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale, took to social media to mourn the loss.

Amisi revealed that he had interacted with Were in parliament earlier that day, while Khalwale described the news as “very sad” and extended condolences to the family and friends of the late MP.

Source: TUKO.co.ke