That the race to replace the late Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were’sposition in three weeks has proven to be a tall order is no longer a secret.
This is after Lawyer Willis Otieno came out guns blazing to condemn those sponsoring any form of violence in the constituency.
Through his X account on November 7, 2025, Otieno regretted that political tension and intolerance had begun to rise in Kasipul, warning that such acts threatened the very foundation of democracy.
He said what was happening in Kasipul was unacceptable, adding that violence had no place in Kenya’s politics.
Otieno said political contests should be platforms for ideas, not battlegrounds for hate and division.
He urged leaders, supporters, and institutions to maintain peace and embrace tolerance ahead of the upcoming by-election.
“What is happening in Kasipul is unacceptable. Violence has no place in our politics, not in Kasipul, not anywhere in Kenya.
“Our political spaces must be arenas of ideas, not battlegrounds of intolerance,” Otieno wrote.
He added that those behind the chaos must be held accountable, noting that peace was the first duty of leadership.
“Let every leader, every supporter, and every institution remember that power is never worth a single drop of Kenyan blood,” he added.
Otieno’s remarks come amid reports of rising tension among rival camps as political parties prepare to field their candidates for the Kasipul parliamentary by-election.
How Ong’ondo Were died
The late Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were was shot dead in Nairobi by unknown gunmen on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, two months after claiming his life was in danger.
According to police, the MP was attacked by two men on a motorcycle near the City Mortuary roundabout at around 7.30 pm.
One of the assailants reportedly alighted from the bike and shot the legislator at close range before fleeing.
He was rushed to Nairobi Hospital but succumbed to his injuries. His driver survived the attack.
The killing, which occurred on one of Nairobi’s busiest highways equipped with CCTV cameras, shocked the nation and drew widespread condemnation.
Police and DCI officers are investigating the incident to establish the motive and identity of the attackers. Ong’ondo’s body was moved to Lee Funeral Home after the fatal shooting.
