# Mugabe Were

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{{Short description|Kenyan politician}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox person
| name            = Mellitus Mugabe Were
| image           =
| caption         = 
| birth_date      = {{birth date|1968|8|9|df=y}}
| birth_place     = Kenya
| death_date      = {{death date and age|2008|1|29|1968|8|9|df=y}}
| death_place     = Nairobi, Kenya
| occupation      = Politician
| known_for       = Member of Parliament for Embakasi Constituency (2007–2008)
| political_party = [Orange Democratic Movement](/source/Orange_Democratic_Movement) (ODM)
| spouse          = Agnes Wairimu
| office          = Member of the [National Assembly of Kenya](/source/National_Assembly_of_Kenya)
| predecessor     = David Mwenje
| successor       = [Ferdinand Waititu](/source/Ferdinand_Waititu)
| death_cause     = Assassination (gunshot wounds) 
}}

'''Mellitus Mugabe Were''' (9 August 1968 – 29 January 2008) was a Kenyan politician affiliated to the [Orange Democratic Movement](/source/Orange_Democratic_Movement) (ODM). He was elected to the [National Assembly of Kenya](/source/National_Assembly_of_Kenya) to represent [Embakasi Constituency](/source/Embakasi_Constituency) in the [parliamentary election](/source/2007_Kenyan_parliamentary_elections) held on 27 December 2007. He was killed outside his house in the [Nairobi](/source/Nairobi) suburb of [Woodley](/source/Woodley%2C_Nairobi), adjacent to the [Kibera](/source/Kibera) slum.

==Political career==
Were had been a voice for moderation in [Kenya's escalating political crisis](/source/Civil_unrest_in_Kenya_(2007%E2%80%93present)), 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 near Jamhuri estate, [Nairobi](/source/Nairobi), 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](/source/Nairobi_Hospital). He was announced dead on arrival. ODM spokespersons were quick to blame the government, however President [Mwai Kibaki](/source/Mwai_Kibaki) 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.<ref name="Mwachiro">{{cite web|last1=Mwachiro|first1=Kevin|title=Tear gas adds to Kenya mourners' tears|website=BBC News|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

===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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nation.co.ke/news/hang-killing-former-Embakasi-MP-Melitus-Mugabe-/-/1056/2619226/-/13yes9u/-/index.html|title=Three to hang for killing former Embakasi MP Melitus Mugabe Were|website=Daily Nation|publisher=Daily Nation|accessdate=15 April 2016}}</ref>

==Sources==
*[http://www.respectance.com/Melitus ''Respectance''] (includes photo)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Were, Mugabe}}
Category:Assassinated Kenyan politicians
Category:Deaths by firearm in Kenya
Category:1968 births
Category:2008 deaths
Category:People murdered in Kenya
Category:Orange Democratic Movement politicians
Category:Members of the National Assembly (Kenya)
Category:African politicians assassinated in the 2000s
Category:Politicians assassinated in 2008

{{Kenya-politician-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mugabe Were](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mugabe_Were) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mugabe_Were?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.