Ebel Ochieng Kalo, a prominent United Democratic Alliance (UDA) official and board member of the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), has been arrested over his suspected involvement in the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ochieng was apprehended in Nakuru on Wednesday, just hours after police recovered a firearm linked to the murder during a sting operation in Chokaa Estate, located along Kangundo Road.
Ochieng, a former UDA Nyanza Regional Coordinator, is accused of being the mastermind behind the killing. Investigators believe he hired a hitman, paying a down payment of Ksh 850,000 to carry out the brutal act.
The slain MP was a rising political figure in Homa Bay County, and his murder shocked both the local community and national leaders.
Following his arrest, Ochieng was transported to Nairobi where he is expected to be arraigned at the JKIA Law Courts. The DCI plans to request a 30-day detention order to continue investigations and pursue other individuals linked to the murder conspiracy.
Sources close to the probe indicate that the authorities are expanding the investigation to uncover the full extent of the political assassination network behind the MP’s death.
The arrest adds a fresh twist to an already tense political atmosphere, raising concerns over safety and political rivalry ahead of the 2027 general elections.
