A section of lawmakers have implored Raila Odinga to endorse one of the late Charles Ong’ondo Were’s children or family members to complete the works the deceased had kick-started in Kasipul constituency.

Speaking on Friday, May 9, 2025, during the burial of the lawmaker who was gunned down in Nairobi after finishing a parliament session, the MPs argued that Raila’s endorsement would also end the expected political battle in succeeding Charles Were.

The calls were led by Hilary Nyiganet Arap Kosgei, a member of parliament for the Kipkelion West constituency, who claimed that Were could have been gunned down due to political issues.

Kosgei, who was Were’s brother-in-law, thus asked Raila to pick one of the deceased sons to take over the leadership mantle.

“Your excellency kama familia tutaomba, unajua hii watu inaua watu inataka kiti, we want to shame them ya kuwa hakuna kiti hata baada ya kuua. Baba tunaomba uwele mkono mtoto mmoja wa Were amalize kazi ya baba take,” Kosgei stated.

Which loosely translates to: “Your Excellency, as a family we request, you know those killing want the position; we want to shame them and show that even after the killing, they will not get the seat. Baba (Raila), we ask you to endorse one of Were’s kids to finish his work,” Kosgei stated.

More push

Speaking before Kosgei, Lamu County Women Representative Muthoni Murabu also implored Raila to pick a successor from Were’s family.

Muthoni further claimed she was single and offered to take Were’s son on a familiarisation tour if successfully elected into parliament.

“Mimi Were alikuwa amenionyesha akona vijana wawili ambao ni karibi rika yangu. Baba unaona unaona mkono yangu sijaweka pete,” Muthoni stated.

“Baba ukituma kijana ya Were bunge, mi mwenyewe Muthoni nitaonyesha yeye,” she insisted amid wild cheers from the mourners.

Which loosely translates to: “Were had shown me that he has two sons who are almost my age. Baba (Raila), you see I don’t have a ring on my finger,” Muthoni stated.

“Baba if you send his son to parliament, I will show him around,” she insisted amid wild cheers from the mourners.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Woman Representative for Nyamira County, who even jokingly promised to offer one of her daughters to marry one of Were’s sons.

“Baba we love you. We want to get one leader from this family and I will give my daughter,” she said.

Were’s family

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.

He is expected to be laid to rest on Friday, May 9, 2025.