Since obtaining independence in 1963, Kenya has seen a number of high-profile political killings. These sad incidents have frequently highlighted the political unpredictability of the country and the difficulties encountered by leaders who advocate for reform. Members of Parliament (MPs) from Kenya who were killed while serving are listed below:
Pio Gama Pinto (1927–1965)
A fervent socialist and freedom warrior, Pinto worked as a journalist and politician. While waiting for his gate to be opened, he was slain on February 24, 1965, in the Parklands neighbourhood of Nairobi.
He was well-known for his support of socialist programs and anti-colonial action while he was an MP. In independent Kenya, his assassination was the first political murder.
Tom Mboya (1930–1969)
Tom Mboya, the Minister for Economic Planning and Development and a major contributor to Kenya’s independence, was a dynamic and powerful politician. On July 5, 1969, he was killed in Nairobi on Moi Avenue. It is generally accepted that his death was politically motivated and caused a great deal of turmoil.
JM Kariuki (1929–1975)
Josiah Mwangi Kariuki, often known as “JM,” was an outspoken opponent of inequity and corruption in government. His mangled body was later found after he vanished in March 1975.
Although a commission of inquiry was constituted, the murder is still officially unexplained despite the worldwide demonstrations that followed his death.
Robert Ouko (1931–1990)
In February 1990, Robert Ouko, who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was discovered dead. His burned body was found close to his Koru residence.
His death’s circumstances are still up for debate, and multiple investigations have not been able to identify the culprits.
Tony Ndilinge
The former Kilome MP was assassinated in 2001 after gunmen shot him twice in the head as he parked his car outside a bar in Nairobi’s Githurai Estate.
A section of opposition leaders at the time termed it a political assassination as Ndilinge was considered a major critic of former President Daniel Moi’s government.
Mellitus Mugabe Were (1968-2008)
On January 29, 2008, Mugabe Were, an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) member and Embakasi MP, was killed outside his Nairobi house.
He passed away amid a violent post-election era. For his murder, three people were found guilty and given the death penalty.
David Kimutai Too (1968–2008)
On January 31, 2008, Too, an ODM MP for Ainamoi, was shot and killed in Eldoret. The shooting was a crime of passion, according to the attacker, a police officer. But because the murder happened so soon after Were’s assassination, there was a lot of conjecture regarding possible political motivations.
George Muchai (1955/6–2015)
George Muchai was a Jubilee Alliance MP and trade unionist who represented Kabete Constituency. On February 7, 2015, he was killed in the Central Business District of Nairobi. As of January 2020, the trial was still going on despite the arrest of seven suspects.
Charles Ong’ondo Were (1973–2025)
The most recent case, Ong’ondo Were was an ODM MP for Kasipul Constituency. He was assassinated on April 30, 2025, in Nairobi.
According to police reports, the attack was targeted and premeditated. Investigations are ongoing to determine the motives and perpetrators
