Kenya, Sept. 9 -- Prominent city lawyer Kyalo was gunned down in a brazen drive-by shooting in Nairobi's upscale Karen South neighbourhood late Monday evening, sending shockwaves through Kenya's legal circles and raising fresh alarms over targeted violence against advocates. Eyewitnesses described a hail of bullets from a speeding vehicle, with the least graphic photos from the scene showing shattered car windows and emergency responders rushing to aid the fallen attorney, whose identity as a vocal defender of human rights quickly emerged in the chaos.
The incident unfolded around 8:45 p.m. along the quiet, tree-lined streets of Karen South, a leafy suburb known for its affluent homes and relative safety. Kyalo, a 42-year-old advocate with over 15 years in practice specialising in constitutional law and anti-corruption cases, was returning home from a late meeting at his office in the city centre.
Driving his silver Toyota Prado, he paused at a stop to chat with a neighbour when a black SUV pulled up alongside. Gunfire erupted in seconds, with reports indicating at least 12 shots fired from an automatic weapon.
Kyalo slumped over the wheel, critically wounded in the chest and shoulder, before his vehicle veered into a roadside ditch. Paramedics from the Karen Hospital arrived within minutes, stabilising him on-site amid flashing lights and gathering crowds.
He was rushed to Nairobi Hospital, where surgeons battled to save his life through the night. By dawn, doctors confirmed his condition as stable but guarded, with the lawyer undergoing multiple blood transfusions.
"He fought hard, but the bullets did real damage," a medical source close to the family shared, emphasising the precision of the attack. Police cordoned off the area, collecting shell casings and reviewing CCTV footage from nearby residences that captured the assailants' vehicle fleeing toward Ngong Road.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin labelled the hit a "cowardly assassination attempt", deploying the elite Crime Scene squad to scour for leads. Early investigations point to possible motives tied to Kyalo's recent high-profile work, including representing whistleblowers in graft probes against top officials and challenging land grabs in Karen estates. Colleagues at the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) branch mourned the close call, recalling his fiery speeches against impunity.
"Kyalo has been a thorn in the side of powerful interests; this feels personal," said LSK vice-chair Grace Wakhungu, vowing to push for a special task force. Social media lit up with tributes and demands for justice, as users shared the least graphic photos from the scene to highlight the vulnerability of legal eagles in Kenya.
The attack echoes a string of threats against lawyers handling sensitive cases, prompting Interior CS Kithure Kindiki to promise swift arrests. As Nairobi awakens to this grim news, the drive-by shooting of city lawyer Kyalo shows the perils facing those who champion the rule of law in a nation plagued by unresolved vendettas.
With forensics underway and witnesses coming forward, authorities vow no stone unturned, but for Kyalo's family and peers, recovery means more than physical healing; it's a fight for a safer space to practise justice without fear. Kenya's bar association stands ready to amplify the call, ensuring this city lawyer's brush with death sparks real change against the shadows of violence in Karen South.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.