The killing of lawyer and lecturer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu has left the country in shock, not only because of the boldness of the attack but also because of what it reveals about the state of public security.
Mbobu was driving home in Karen on September 9, 2025, when a motorbike gunman intercepted his car and opened fire, leaving him fatally wounded.
What was meant to be a routine drive turned into a tragic end, raising deep concerns about how such an execution could happen in broad daylight in one of the city’s most guarded neighborhoods.
Investigators are working with what little they have so far. CCTV footage has captured a man on his phone near Mbobu’s office just before he left, and police believe this could be more than coincidence.
The man is suspected of possibly relaying Mbobu’s movements, and two other individuals have also been arrested, with their vehicles taken for forensic checks.
For many Nairobians, however, the big question is not just who killed Mbobu, but why, and whether justice will truly be served.
The murder has also brought attention to the city’s much-publicized surveillance network.
Nairobi invested heavily in CCTV cameras almost ten years ago under the Safe City project, a system that was supposed to make the streets safer and help track down criminals.
Yet, today, most residents know that many of these cameras either don’t work or give very poor footage. In moments like this, when crucial evidence is needed, the weakness of the system becomes clear.
People are left wondering how many crimes could have been solved or prevented if the technology had been properly maintained and monitored.
Mbobu’s death has therefore become more than a personal tragedy. It has highlighted how vulnerable the city remains despite years of promises from leaders about modern security tools.
If a respected lawyer could be tracked and killed in such a public manner, then ordinary citizens are left fearing that their safety is at even greater risk.
It paints a grim picture of a city where crime can strike anyone, anytime, and where the state’s tools to protect people do not always work as advertised.
Nairobians are watching closely to see whether this case will end in accountability or fade into another unsolved crime. For now, what remains is a mixture of grief, anger, and disillusionment.
Mbobu’s killing has shaken public confidence not just in security, but in the idea that justice can prevail when the systems meant to safeguard it are so broken.
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