City lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Nairobi’s Karen South.
By Kimberly Kalusi
Prominent lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu was gunned down in a brazen evening attack along Magadi Road in Karen, Nairobi, sparking outrage and calls for urgent investigations.
The shooting happened at around 5:40 p.m. on Tuesday as Mbobu was driving home. Witnesses said two armed men on a motorbike trailed his vehicle before firing several shots. He was struck multiple times and died on the spot in what police believe was a targeted killing.
Police quickly sealed off the area, causing major traffic snarl-ups on Magadi and Lang’ata Roads. His vehicle was towed to Lang’ata Police Station, where detectives are analysing CCTV footage to trace the attackers.
Mbobu was a seasoned lawyer with close to 30 years in practice. He headed Kyalo & Associates Advocates, taught law at the University of Nairobi, and held senior roles at Quest Holdings Ltd and Core Capital Group Ltd.
He also previously chaired the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal and earned an LL.M. from Georgetown University. Colleagues described him as a legal mind who contributed significantly to Kenya’s governance and justice systems.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) strongly condemned the killing, terming it a direct assault on the legal profession. LSK President Faith Odhiambo urged the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to pursue the case with urgency, saying the attack underscores the growing threats facing advocates.
She warned that unchecked violence undermines constitutional democracy and called for accountability to restore public trust in the rule of law.
LSK has launched a broader discussion on security for legal practitioners, stressing that lawyers must be able to perform their duties “without fear or intimidation.”
