Lawyer Mathew Kyalo MbobuThe family of slain city lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu has described him as a peaceful, loving, and caring man whose life was cut short in a brutal shooting.
Mbobu was killed on Tuesday evening when an assassin’s bullet struck him as he drove home along Magadi Road.
Police said they believe the murder was targeted.
The motive of the drive-by shooting remains unclear.
At their Maiani rural home in Kilome, Makueni County, his family, led by his mother, expressed shock and appealed to the police to move swiftly in the hunt for his killers.
“Kyalo was a lawyer who was not involved in controversial cases; we cannot understand why someone murdered him in such a devastating manner,” his brother, James Maluki, who is also a lawyer, said.
Mbobu's 86-year-old mother had nothing to say as she chose to mourn her son in silence.
As the family prepares for a postmortem exercise at Lee Funeral Home on Thursday, September 11, their desire for justice for their son's death is more pronounced.
"We appeal to the government to ensure this matter is investigated to its logical conclusion, because we need to enjoy our freedom of movement, and as professionals, we need to be allowed to do our work without fear," Maluki said.
Mbobu had previously served as the chairperson of the Political Parties Disputes Resolution Tribunal.
On Wednesday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) assured the public that efforts to solve the case were underway.
“Our investigators are working diligently, employing all available resources and expertise to piece together the events surrounding this incident,” DCI boss Mohamed Amin said in a statement signed by John Marete.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) joined in mourning Mbobu, hailing him as a distinguished lawyer who had made significant contributions to Kenya’s legal and governance space.
In a statement, LSK President Faith Odhiambo announced that the legal fraternity will on Friday, September 12, hold a countrywide Purple Ribbon March to honour Mbobu and protest against violence targeting members of the profession.
She explained that the march will be coordinated across the society’s eight branches from 9am.
“In Nairobi, the peaceful procession will converge at the Milimani Law Courts and walk through Kenyatta Avenue to Vigilance House, where a memorandum, with all our grievances, will be presented to the Inspector General of Police.”
Odhiambo decried the growing trend of attacks on advocates, noting that Mbobu’s murder was not an isolated case.
“Too often, advocates have been victimized and targeted for the work that they do. Our security agencies have an immediate duty to act decisively in putting an end to this growing menace,” she said.
Mbobu had worked in the legal profession for three years and also lectured at the University of Nairobi School of Law until his death.
