Mellitus Mugabe Were (9 August 1968 – 29 January 2008) was a Kenyan politician affiliated to the

Orange Democratic Movement The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is a centre-left political party in Kenya. It is the successor of a grassroots people's movement that was formed during the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum campaign. This movement separated in Augus ...

(ODM). He was elected to the

National Assembly of Kenya The National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya (formerly House of Representatives) is one of the two Houses of the Parliament of Kenya. Between 1966 and 2013, it served as a unicameral house. In 2013 ( 11th Parliament), it became the lower ...

to represent

Embakasi Constituency Embakasi Constituency, (formerly known as, Nairobi East Constituency), is a former Constituencies of Kenya, electoral constituency in Kenya. It was one of eight constituencies of Nairobi Province. It consisted of eastern and southeastern suburbs o ...

in the

parliamentary election A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. General elections ...

held on 27 December 2007. He was killed outside his house in the

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

suburb of Woodley, adjacent to the

Kibera Kibera (Kinubi language, Kinubi: ''Forest'' or ''Jungle'') is a division and neighbourhood of Nairobi, Kenya, from the city centre. Kibera is the largest slum in Nairobi, and also the largest urban slum in all of Africa. The 2009 Kenya Popul ...

slum.

Political career

Were had been a voice for moderation in Kenya's escalating political crisis, shuttling between leaders of different ethnic groups and organising a youth peace march just before he died.

Death

Were was returning home in Woodley Estate,

, after 11 pm, and whilst waiting for the gate to his house to be opened, he was shot three times. His widow, Agnes Wairimu, alerted by the gunshots, came outside and found him, taking him to

Nairobi Hospital The Nairobi Hospital is a private hospital located in Upper Hill area, Nairobi, Kenya.The hospital was founded in 1954 as the European Hospital, a hospital for Europeans. Location It is located along Argwings Kodhek Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi. ...

. He was announced dead on arrival. ODM spokespersons were quick to blame the government, however President

Mwai Kibaki Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki (15 November 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a Kenyan politician who served as the third President of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013. He served in various leadership positions in Kenya's government including ...

also condemned the murder as a "heinious crime". As mourners gathered outside his home, the police arrived and fired tear gas at them. 50 youth from amongst the mourners started to erect barricades. The police claimed that tear gas only drifted into the compound of Were's house, but local TV stations provided evidence that canisters were deliberately targeted on the house.

Culprits sentenced

Using fingerprint evidence the police were able to track down James Omondi (alias Castro) as the first suspect. He led them to the other two, Wycliffe Walimbwa Simiyu (alias Zimbo) and Paul Otieno (alias Baba). All three were found guilty of his murder on 9 February 2015.

Sources

''Respectance''
(includes photo)

References

Assassinated Kenyan politicians Deaths by firearm in Kenya 1968 births 2008 deaths People murdered in Kenya Orange Democratic Movement politicians Members of the National Assembly (Kenya) African politicians assassinated in the 2000s Politicians assassinated in 2008 {{Kenya-politician-stub