Human rights activist Dr. Isaac Kinity has linked the assassination of lawyer Kyalo Mbobu to high-level corruption and intimidation of legal professionals handling sensitive cases.
In a press release dated 28th September,2025, Kinity, the Chairman of the Kikimo Foundation for Corruption and Poverty Eradication, alleged that Mbobu was targeted because of his role in representing Kungu Muigai, a cousin of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, in a land dispute involving senior government figures.
“Why would people kill a lawyer for representing a case of land grabbing? What is wrong with taking those in authority to court? Why create fear in lawyers willing to represent those with high-profile cases involving those in authority?” Dr. Kinity questioned.
He argued that Mbobu’s killing shows the extent of decay in the current administration and depicts “guilt at the highest level.” He further said the assassination is part of a broader pattern of political witch-hunts and intimidation.
The former trade unionist cited the recent court-approved auctioning of properties belonging to Equity Bank founder Peter Munga as another example.
“Why is the government suppressing people who provide jobs to the youth? Intimidating them will only worsen unemployment,” he said, warning that both the wealthy and the poor — including workers, farmers, and businesspeople — are now suffering under the current system.
“Kenya needs immediate positive changes. From looting public funds to land grabbing and now killings, there is no room for progress. Instead, the nation has been turned into a den of poverty, agony, suffering, and fear,” he said.
Mbobu, a seasoned lawyer and former chairman of both the Political Parties’ Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) and the Business Rent Premises Tribunal (BPRT), was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
According to police report, a gunman on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle near the Lang’ata-Magadi road junction, next to a busy shopping centre in Karen, about 10km from Nairobi’s city centre. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots.
A video circulated online showed the shattered window of his car with his bloodied body slumped over the steering wheel, sparking national outrage.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) condemned the attack as “abhorrent” and warned that it bore “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 while calling for swift and conclusive investigations.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) assured the public that it is determined to bring the culprits to justice, urging Kenyans to remain calm while investigations continue.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who was once taught law by Mbobu at the University of Nairobi, mourned him as “a distinguished advocate, an outstanding law scholar and a dedicated public servant.”
He described the killing as a “cold-blooded” and an act that has left many people adevastated and in deep shock. Kinity urged the police to carry out speedy and thorough investigations.
His assassination follows the April killing of Kasipull MP Charles Ong’ondo Were, who was shot dead in a similar drive-by attack in Nairobi. Police described that case as a “targeted and predetermined” assassination, with several suspects already charged.
Dr. Kinity concluded by urging reforms in governance to protect all citizens. “Every Kenyan, rich or poor, should be protected because all Kenyans pay taxes,” he said.
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