Sifuna reveals Ong’ondo Were’s wish to be buried in ODM colours
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who also serves as the ODM Secretary General, has revealed that the late Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were had made a wish to be buried in ODM colours.
Speaking during a morning show, Sifuna said that although he generally disapproves of wearing political party uniforms at funerals, he will make an exception in this case to honour the MP’s final wish.
“I am averse to attending burials wearing political colours, but you’ll forgive us since it was MP Charles Were’s wish to be buried in ODM colours,” said Sifuna.
He added that ODM members attending the funeral in party attire should not be condemned or victimised, as they are simply fulfilling the wish of their departed colleague.
According to Sifuna, the late MP wanted his burial to be marked by the orange colour of ODM, the party that sponsored him to Parliament for two terms.
While speaking during the burial of Raila Odinga’s longtime aide, a few weeks before his assassination, the MP had expressed a desire to be buried in ODM attire, just like Raila’s bodyguard
This announcement comes ahead of the MP’s burial scheduled for Friday, May 9, 2025, in Kasipul. His body is expected to land at Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay before proceeding to his rural home for interment.
A requiem mass was held on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at Consolata Shrine in Nairobi, where members of Parliament, government officials, and political leaders gathered in large numbers. They paid tribute to the late MP and called for swift investigations into his murder, reflecting on the fond memories they shared with him.
Were’s assassination
MP Charles Ong’ondo Were was gunned down on April 30, 2025, near City Mortuary in Nairobi. He had just left Parliament and was on his way home when two armed assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle, fatally shooting him in the neck.
His bodyguard and driver, who escaped unhurt, rushed him to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Ongoing Investigations
Investigations into his murder have since intensified, with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) pursuing all leads. So far, 10 individuals have been arrested, including his bodyguard and driver.
Several bullets and ammunition suspected of having been used in the shooting were recovered during the investigation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, while addressing the media on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, stated that people close to the MP may have played a role in the murder.
