Lawyers demand gun control after drive-by killing of Kyalo Mbobu

Lawyers across the country have staged peaceful protests over the killing of Advocate Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, who was  gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Karen, Nairobi, on Tuesday evening.

In the capital, lawyers marched from the Milimani Law Courts to Vigilance House, where they presented their grievances to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has condemned the killing, calling it an attack on the legal profession.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo has asked the government to act with speed, noting a troubling rise in high-profile shootings.

“This killing also brings into question several things. Recently, we saw the killing of a member of parliament, now an advocate. It raises questions on how gun control is managed in our country,” said Odhiambo.

The lawyers have also demanded a speedy and transparent investigation, regular public updates from police, and protection for advocates handling sensitive cases.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen yesterday said some persons of interest had been identified and were already under interrogation. He urged the public to provide any information that could help investigators.

“I am very optimistic that in a very short time, we will have leads,” Murkomen said on Thursday in Migori County during a regional security tour.

The motive behind the killing remains unclear. The Director of Public Prosecutions has ordered IG Kanja to provide a report within seven days.

An autopsy conducted Thursday by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor showed Mbobu died from excessive bleeding and spinal injuries after being shot eight times.

“We found that most of the shots came from the right side of the body, and we were able to recover two bullets,” Oduor said.

Additional reporting by Pkemoi Ng’enoh