Even as the leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate called for a speedy inquiry into the death of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were, arrangements are in top gear ahead of the burial slated for Friday, May 9, 2025.

By Wednesday, May 7, 2025, technicians were making the final inspections and renovations of the Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay, which is expected to be a bee-hive of activity from Thursday, May 8, 2025, when the body of the MP will be flown to his last resting place.

A funeral programme seen by the People Daily Digital indicates that the MP will be flown to Homa Bay from Wilson Airport on Thursday, and will arrive at the Kabunde Airstrip at around 11:30 am to a convoy of vehicles which will pass through Homa Bay town, Kendu Bay, Kadongo, Sikri, Oyugis Town and stop at Agoro Sare Primary School, where locals will be allowed to view the body of their late MP.

Night vigil

Thereafter, the funeral procession will head to the MP’s Kachien home in Karabok, where there will be a night vigil in preparation for the burial on Friday.

Due to the large number of mourners expected to grace the event, which will see the attendance of several MPs across the political divide, the funeral service will be conducted at Karabok Primary School before the body is transferred to Ong’ondo Were’s Kachien home, where he will be interred.

Among the leaders expected to grace the event are President William Ruto, ODM Party leader Raila Odinga, cabinet secretaries, speakers of both houses of parliament, parliamentary leadership and heads of state departments, PSs and other leaders.

Three wives

Were had three wives, with whom he sired six children. He is survived by his two wives, Margie, who is the mother of Gynsen and Immaculate Were, and Anne, who is the mother of Paval and Ryan.

Were’s two sons, Boyd and Procta Ojaa were from his first wife, Immaculate Were, who died earlier.

The late MP was shot dead by a pillion passenger of a sports bike, who disembarked, went around the co-driver’s seat and opened fire before fleeing the scene on April 30, 2025, along Ngong Road.

Postmortem results revealed that Were was killed by five bullets which pierced through and ruptured his vital organs, including the heart, lungs and blood vessels. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the nearby Nairobi Hospital.

His bodyguard and driver, who were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, have since been arrested in connection with the death.