Singer Tabby Odanga delivers moving performance at Ong’ondo Were’s funeral
Emotions ran high on the afternoon of Friday, May 9, 2025, in Karabok village, Central Kasipul, as mourners were visibly overcome with grief following a deeply moving performance by gospel singer Tabby Odanga during the burial of slain Kasipul Member of Parliament, Charles Ong’ondo Were.
The singer, who was given nearly 20 minutes to deliver her performance, sang positioned next to the coffin of the slain Member of Parliament, and her first high-pitched rendition of her hit song “Mae Yesu” immediately hushed the previously murmuring crowd.
The singer divided the nearly 20 minutes into two segments. In the first, she captivated the attendees with some of her most chart-topping hits, while in the second, she invited them to join her for a brief but powerful praise and worship session.
At that moment, family members of the late MP were seen clinging to one another, while his daughter gave her mother a warm embrace, as emotions continued to rise during the ceremony, which had been attended by a host of prominent ODM politicians.
At the artiste’s request for everyone to rise and sing along, mourners responded in unison, with some raising their hands in worship, further intensifying the emotions and fervour that had defined the ceremony, which took place exactly nine days after his brutal assassination.
The funeral, held at Were’s home in Homa Bay County, drew hundreds, including Azimio leader Raila Odinga, Speaker Moses Wetangula, Governor Gladys Wanga, CSs John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi, and a host of MPs and local leaders.
Many mourners donned orange in honour of Were’s loyalty to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which he served faithfully until his tragic death.
The 46-year-old MP was gunned down on April 30, 2025, along Ngong Road in Nairobi.
He was seated in his car near the City Mortuary roundabout when a lone gunman on a motorcycle approached and shot him at close range before fleeing. The incident sent shockwaves across the country and sparked national outrage.
Ten suspects have since been arrested in connection with the killing. A firearm, identified as a Sarsilmaz pistol, has been recovered and linked to other crimes through ballistic analysis.
Were’s body arrived in Homa Bay on Thursday, May 8, 2025, and was received at Kabunde Airstrip.
It was later taken for public viewing at Agoro Sare High School before being transported to his home in Karabok for the final rites. His burial followed an overnight vigil where friends, colleagues, and constituents kept watch through the night.
Charles Were, who was serving his second term, is survived by his wife and three children. Tributes from across the political divide have hailed him as a passionate leader and a tireless advocate for the people of Kasipul.
His death, many said, leaves a void that will be hard to fill.
