Faith, family and law: The life of slain lawyer Kyalo Mbobu

When graphic images of the slain lawyer Kyalo Mbobu hit social media on Tuesday a few hours after his murder, a few hawk-eyed Kenyans noticed the Catholic rosary that was hanging on the car's rear view mirror.

According to a close family member, Mbobu never missed church. “Someone can classify him as a front-pew Catholic. He was deeply religious and a staunch believer in the Christian faith,” said the close kin who asked not to be named since she's not the family spokesperson.

The man, who was to turn 64 years on November 28, was a gifted student and brilliant lawyer.

“He went to high school in Lodwar before joining the University of Nairobi. He was top of his class and that's how he got the scholarship to go for masters in Georgetown university,” said the woman. 

She said Mbobu was so proud of his Georgetown University connection since the school is the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in the US. Notable alumni include two US Presidents, two US Supreme Court justices, at least 10 living billionaires, 26 US governors, and 116 members of the Congress, including 26 senators.

Mbobu was the Senior Partner at Kyalo & Associates Advocates. A relatively wealthy and successful lawyer, Mbobu raised his family in the one-acre lavish home in Karen. His home is sandwiched between those of former Attorney General and Busia senator Amos Wako and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

His wife, Anne Mwende Kyalo, is the director at State House in charge of facilities, environment and maintenance. They have three children; 22-year-old son who is in university in South Africa, 13-year-old student at Woodcreek School and a niece, who was adopted.

Not a flashy man, Mbobu eschewed opulence that usually comes with his status in life and drove a 15-year-old Prado. He also owned a fairly used Mitsubishi Pajero.

Fred Limo, an advocate who was Mbobu's lawyer on several matters, says he always was not only the best dressed man in the room, but also the smartest when it came to legal matters.

Limo says they spoke at 3:51pm on Tuesday, two hours before he was killed.

"He never said anyone was trailing him or he was in a fight with someone. He was a very fair man. He had no disgruntled clients or business associates. He was very professional and that's why this assassination has come as a shock to me," he said.

"He was at a stage in life where he was satisfied and content. He lived humbly and spent most of his free time, and finances, helping the less fortunate, or colleagues in trouble." 

Kyalo's most prominent role in public service was as chairman of the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal.

Lawyer Peter Wena, who worked over months with Mbobu in election disputes, said: "We met and got to know each other when I was acting for a client in an election petition. We worked through the High Court, the Court of Appeal until the matter was settled by the Supreme Court. In that duration, I came to know him as an affable character who was very fair and principled." 

Apart from his Nairobi home, Mbobu owned a seven-acre farm in Mua Hills where he did avocado, vegetables and chicken farming. Friends intimated to The Standard that the Mua Hills farm was his man cave.

Friends who visited recall how he always had a bottle of his favourite whisky, Glenfiddich, ready. A man of moderate habits, Mbobu only imbibed slightly on Fridays and Saturdays, strictly.

A gifted academic who lectured at the University of Nairobi School of Law and the Kenya School of Law, one of his students Eric Kivuva, who is the Law Society of Kenya Nairobi chapter president, said they spoke for nine minutes and 30 seconds at 11.30am on Tuesday.

A few hours later, he heard the news that he had been assassinated.

"He never told me he was in danger. He was his usual calm self. We spoke about his philanthropic work. He was to donate books to the South Eastern University. Later we spoke about a matter we had in the court of appeal and we discussed an out of court settlement. He didn't sound worried or panicky as if his life was in danger," said Kivuva.

The Kenyan High Commissioner to Canada Carolyne Kamende recalled how Mbobu took her in as his first ever pupil.

"After my pupilage, he retained me as his associate and we worked together for over 10 years during which he shaped my future, teaching me practical aspects of law. He was a polished and amiable person. Very brilliant and thorough."

The slain lawyer held an LL.B (Hons) and LL.M from Georgetown University, and is recognised as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. 

An advocate of the High Court and friend of the deceased, Nzau Musau says Kyalo was a ‘low key philanthropist’.

“He helped so many people including young lawyers and he never spoke about it. Actually on the morning of the day he died, he offered to make copies of his Evidence Book for donation to South Eastern University law school following an appeal by Dr. Koki Muli-Grignon. He was enthralled by the initiative spearheaded by Nairobi LSK Branch President Eric Kivuva,” says Nzau.

He eulogizes Kyalo as a very unassuming character. “Until you knew him, you wouldn't pick him out in a room. You wouldn't know he was pulling heavy, complex briefs. He was not loud. His work spoke for him, and he executed his briefs with unmistakable precision, diplomacy and finesse. When I was joining university for my BA in Political Science & Philosophy in the early 2000s, it was Mr. Mbobu who commissioned for me the admission documents at zero fee, courtesy of his younger brother who is my friend."

Nzau would later meet Kyalo again after many years at the Trattoria over coffee in a matter of his client, and I reminded him.

"We worked closely at the time he served at the Political Parties Tribunal. He was very helpful, gentle and kind in processing my inquiries, including sensitive ones,” said Nzau.