Lawmakers Urge Sakaja to Restore Nairobi’s Broken CCTV Network After MP Were’s Murder
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has come under renewed pressure from Members of Parliament to ensure all CCTV cameras in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) are fully functional, following the shocking assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were. Legislators argued that a reliable surveillance system is critical to strengthening security, aiding investigations, and restoring public confidence in the capital’s safety. The appeal was made during the late MP’s requiem mass at Consolata Shrine in Nairobi on May 7, 2025, where National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula led MPs in calling for 24-hour camera monitoring across the city.
Wetang’ula stressed that functional CCTV systems could help identify criminals and prevent future tragedies. Governor of Nairobi, we want to see that all CCTV installations operate optimally, 24 hours a day, to capture wicked characters who roam the city molesting others and causing pain and suffering to innocent families, he said. Governor Sakaja, who attended the service, expressed his condolences to the family and people of Kasipul, acknowledging the deep emotional impact of the murder. This incident shocked us all, Sakaja said, adding that Nairobians deserved a secure city where justice could be swiftly served.
Were was fatally shot on April 30 while stuck in traffic in Nairobi, in what police described as a targeted hit by assailants on a motorbike. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested six suspects and is pursuing others, including a police officer linked to the crime. However, detectives have struggled to piece together CCTV footage, as most of the city’s 42 surveillance cameras have been non-functional for years. Installed at a cost of KSh437 million, the cameras were found to be under the control of a private contractor, with at least 26 reported faulty as early as 2018. The tragedy has reignited calls for the county government to take full ownership and maintenance of Nairobi’s security infrastructure to prevent future lapses in public safety.