Patmoz
By Njeri Irungu
Nairobi, Sept 12/2025
Hundreds of lawyers and members of the public joined the Law Society of Kenya’s (LSK) Purple Ribbon March today to demand a swift, transparent probe into the killing of Advocate Mathew Kyalo Mbobu.
The procession — which began at Milimani Law Courts and moved through Kenyatta Avenue toward Jogoo House (Vigilance House) — was led by LSK leaders and the Senior Counsel Bar as marchers carried purple ribbons, placards and banners calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible. The march was staged in solidarity with the late advocate’s family and to protest rising violence against members of the legal profession.
In a statement delivered at the march, former Deputy President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and Advocate Ndegwa Njiru condemned what they described as a growing culture of lawlessness and called on the state — including the police and President William Ruto — to respect the Constitution of 2010 and the rule of law. They urged authorities to “bring the perpetrators to book expeditiously,” stressing that the killing of Mbobu represents many other Kenyans who have been failed by insecurity.
Kalonzo and Njiru also asked that the confidentiality of client files and privileged information held at Advocate Mbobu’s office be protected during investigations. They called on the LSK to act as trustee for the late lawyer’s office, ensuring that any material not relevant to the probe is safeguarded so that clients are not prejudiced. The pair warned against a future in which lawyers are intimidated or killed for doing their work, saying the legal profession must be allowed to “discharge its constitutional functions without fear.”
Advocate Mathew Kyalo Mbobu was shot and killed earlier this week in what authorities have described as an apparent targeted attack. The killing has drawn national condemnation and prompted calls for a full investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and other security agencies. Senior Counsel Philip Murgor and LSK President Faith Odhiambo were among those who called for “no stone to be left unturned” in establishing motive and identifying the gunmen.
The Purple Ribbon March — observed across LSK branches nationwide — culminated in the presentation of a memorandum of grievances to police headquarters calling for urgent action to stop the pattern of violence, intimidation and retribution against advocates and other professionals. Organizers and participants vowed to keep pressure on the authorities until the killers are arrested and justice is secured for the bereaved family.
