Philip Nahashon Aroko is a little-known but increasingly controversial figure from Homa Bay County. A businessman with political ambitions, Aroko has remained mostly under the radar until now.
His name is suddenly dominating headlines after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) listed him as a person of interest in the assassination of Kasipul MP, Charles Ong’ondo Were.
Aroko’s background paints the picture of an individual who has long operated within politically connected circles. Though not elected to any public office, he is said to have ties with influential political players in Nyanza and beyond.
He has been previously spotted at high-level political gatherings and has reportedly shown interest in contesting elective seats in the past.
Beyond politics, Aroko’s name has surfaced in past legal controversies. In 2018, he was linked to a gold fraud case involving a Brazilian national in Nairobi. Though the case did not result in a conviction, the allegations cast a shadow on his business dealings.
He was reportedly associated with individuals under investigation for orchestrating fake gold deals targeting foreign investors—an operation that prompted crackdowns by Kenyan security agencies at the time.
Now, Aroko finds himself at the center of a far graver matter. On May 7, 2025, the DCI publicly declared him wanted for murder in relation to the brutal killing of MP Charles Ong’ondo Were.
According to detectives, Aroko is believed to be connected to a plot involving the MP’s own bodyguard and a powerful, unnamed government official. One suspect, William Imoli, confessed in court to killing the MP and claimed he was paid Kshs 850,000 by the bodyguard, who allegedly received the money from the said official.
In a statement posted on social media, the DCI urged Aroko to surrender immediately and called on the public to share any information regarding his whereabouts through their toll-free lines or hashtag #FichuaKwaDCI.
As questions swirl around his involvement, Kenyans now wonder: is Aroko a scapegoat, or the missing link in a high-level political murder?
