A prominent Nairobi lawyer, Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, was on Tuesday evening shot dead in a drive-by attack near Galleria Mall in Karen South, Nairobi. The brazen killing has shocked the legal fraternity and heightened security concerns in the city.
How the Shooting Happened
According to police reports, the incident occurred shortly after 7:30 pm when a gunman riding on a motorcycle pulled alongside Mbobu’s vehicle, opened fire, and fled the scene. Eyewitnesses said the shooter sped off immediately after the attack, leaving behind panic and chaos along the busy stretch.
Traffic along the Galleria-Brookhouse road towards Ongata Rongai, particularly at the 1st Drift bypass, came to a standstill as motorists attempted to navigate the crime scene. Authorities advised drivers to seek alternative routes until the congestion eased.
Legal Career and Achievements
Mbobu was widely regarded as a distinguished legal practitioner with over 29 years of experience as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. He served as the Senior Partner at Kyalo & Associates Advocates, specialising in commercial litigation, arbitration, and corporate governance.
He also held several leadership positions, including:
- Board Member – Institute of Directors (IOD) Kenya
- Chairman – Political Parties Dispute Tribunal
- Trustee – Corat Africa
Corporate and Academic Leadership
Beyond his legal practice, Mbobu provided strategic leadership in the private sector as Chairman of Quest Holdings Ltd and Core Capital Group Ltd. His expertise extended into academia, where he lectured at the University of Nairobi School of Law and the Kenya School of Law.
He held a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) with Honours and a Master of Laws (LL.M) from Georgetown University. Additionally, he was a Certified Public Secretary of Kenya and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, respected both locally and internationally for his arbitration and mediation skills.
Tributes and Reactions
The Institute of Directors Kenya mourned him as “a distinguished legal practitioner and governance expert whose contribution to the legal and corporate governance landscape in Kenya will be deeply missed.”
Security agencies have launched investigations into the murder, with detectives reviewing CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts to trace the gunman’s movements before and after the attack.
Conclusion
The death of Mathew Kyalo Mbobu leaves a void in Kenya’s legal, academic, and corporate governance fields. His killing highlights growing concerns about security and organised crime in Nairobi, with calls for swift justice and enhanced public safety measures.
