The assassination of renowned lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu in Nairobi has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s legal fraternity, with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) condemning the killing as a direct assault on the rule of law and demanding swift action from security agencies.
How the Shooting Happened
Mbobu, a respected Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with three decades of service, was driving home on the evening of September 9, 2025, when he was ambushed in a drive-by attack near Galleria Mall in Karen South.
According to police reports, two gunmen on a motorcycle trailed his vehicle along Magadi/Lang’ata Road. One of them pulled alongside and opened fire, shattering the windshield and hitting Mbobu at least three times in the chin. He slumped over the driver’s seat and died instantly. The attackers sped off, leaving panic and a traffic snarl in their wake.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) recovered spent cartridges at the scene, towed the lawyer’s vehicle to Lang’ata Police Station for forensic analysis, and moved his body to the City Mortuary. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the area as they pursue the killers. Police have ruled out random violence, describing the hit as having “all the hallmarks of a targeted assassination.”
Tributes and Legacy
In a strongly worded statement, LSK President Faith Odhiambo described Mbobu’s death as a tragic loss to the legal profession and the entire country.
“Through his expansive practice and devout service, Mr. Mbobu made instrumental contributions to the legal and governance space in Kenya,” Odhiambo said, hailing his service as Chairman of the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal and his role as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, where he shaped generations of lawyers.
Mbobu was also a board member of the Institute of Directors Kenya, chairman of Quest Holdings Ltd and Core Capital Group Ltd, and the author of influential legal texts, including The Law and Practice of Evidence in Kenya.
LSK Raises Alarm Over Lawyers’ Safety
The Law Society of Kenya expressed deep concern over the increasing threats facing Advocates, warning that the assassination underscored the dire state of security for members of the profession.
“Too often, Advocates have been victimized and targeted for the work that they do. This incident and other acts of violence, intimidation and retribution against Advocates represent a damning test to the administration of justice,” the statement read.
The society demanded urgent, all-hands investigations from the DCI to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. “Anything less will be an indictment to the capacity of our Security Organs,” Odhiambo warned, adding that rising lawlessness places Kenya “at the precipice of constitutional crisis.”
Nation in Shock
The killing has triggered outrage among Kenyans on social media, with many expressing fear over the growing climate of impunity. Tributes poured in, describing Mbobu as “a rising legal mind whose life was cut short in shocking violence.”
As investigations continue, the pressure is mounting on law enforcement to deliver justice for Mbobu’s family and restore confidence in the country’s security system.
