NAIROBI, Kenya — Police have announced they are now in possession of critical CCTV footage from various private buildings along the route taken by the late Nairobi lawyer, Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, in the hours leading up to his murder. The footage, along with mobile phone records, is helping investigators piece together the lawyer’s final movements.
According to the evidence, Mbobu arrived at Sagret Hotel along Milimani Road at 11:05 a.m. on Tuesday. He held a three-hour meeting with several individuals who are now considered persons of interest in the case.
Sale receipts and CCTV timestamps from the hotel confirm that the group shared a lunch that cost a total of Ksh.3,800.
At 1:45 p.m., the lawyer left the hotel and headed back to his office at Chester House, where he stayed until 5:09 p.m.
Surveillance and phone data show his subsequent route through Wabera Street, City Hall Way, Parliament Road, Uhuru Highway, Nyayo Roundabout, and onto Lang’ata Road, before he diverted to Magadi Road.
Mbobu was just minutes from his Boyani home in Karen when assailants, who were trailing him, struck with chilling precision.
Judging by the nature of that stretch of Magadi Road, investigators believe the attackers intended to strike at that specific location, as traffic naturally slows at that diversion, making it an opportune spot for an ambush.
Witness Geff Mbuhi described the sudden chaos: “Tuliskia ni kama ni ile kelele ya pikipiki inatoa kelele kidogo tunaskia nduru ni mtu amepigwa marisasi…”
Another witness, who requested anonymity, told Vivid Voice News: “Nilikuwa namfuata kwa karibu nikafikiri kwamba ni simu wanataka kumwibia…kidogo naskia ni marisasi…”
Eyewitnesses say the attackers executed the hit swiftly and fled the scene on motorbikes via the Galleria Mall area. “Walikuwa wamevaa mask ile ya kuficha uso kabisa na rider alikuwa amevaa helmet kama kawaida,” the anonymous witness added.
While the motive remains unclear, investigators have confirmed that nothing was stolen from the scene, suggesting the motive was not robbery.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has condemned the killing, describing Mbobu’s death as a grave loss to the legal fraternity.
It expressed concern over threats faced by lawyers, adding that the killing had “all markings of a predetermined assassination”.
“Too often, advocates have been victimised and targeted for the work that they do,” LSK president Faith Odhiambo said in a statement.
A prominent Nairobi lawyer and law scholar, Kyalo Mbobu, was tragically shot and killed near the Lang’ata-Magadi road junction, adjacent to a busy shopping center in the affluent Karen estate. A graphic video shared online depicts a car with a shattered window and the bloodied body of the lawyer slumped over the steering wheel.
Police have confirmed that they are investigating the shooting and have called on the public to remain calm while appealing for any information that might assist the case. In a statement, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) affirmed its commitment to the investigation.
“We are determined to provide the justice that [Mr Mbobu] and his loved ones deserve,” the DCI said.
The news of Mbobu’s death has left many Kenyans shocked, with the story trending widely online. Senate Speaker Amason Kingi described the incident as a “cold-blooded killing” that had “left us all devastated and in deep shock.” He expressed his expectation for a thorough investigation, stating,
“We expect the police to carry out speedy and thorough investigations to unearth the reason and culprits behind this heinous crime and ensure justice is served.”
Speaker Kingi, who was once a student of Mbobu, described him as a “distinguished advocate, an outstanding law scholar and a dedicated public servant.”
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Beyond his role as a law lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Mbobu was known for his influential legal writing and for mentoring students who went on to become successful lawyers.
His professional background also included serving as a previous chairman of both the Political Parties’ Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) and the Business Rent Premises Tribunal (BPRT). These quasi-judicial roles placed him at the heart of resolving contentious political and commercial disputes, a detail that is likely to be central to the ongoing investigation.
The tragic circumstances of Mbobu’s death bear a chilling resemblance to the murder of Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were, who was also shot dead in similar circumstances on a busy road in the capital in April.
At the time, police described Were’s killing as a “targeted and predetermined” assassination, and several suspects have since been arrested and charged in connection with the crime.
