KANU Secretary General George Wainaina has publicly denied any involvement in the killing of prominent Nairobi lawyer Kyallo Mbobu, after being briefly detained last week in connection with the case.
In a statement released on Sunday, Wainaina confirmed he had been arrested after CCTV footage showed him greeting Mbobu at the parking lot of Nairobi’s Sagret Hotel shortly before the advocate was murdered. Police had described the politician as a “person of interest” given his proximity to the crime scene.
Wainaina said the interaction was no more than a brief exchange of greetings. “I wish to make it abundantly clear that I had no role whatsoever in this heinous act,” he said. He added that he had surrendered his licensed firearm for ballistic testing and cooperated fully with investigators before being cleared and released.
The killing of Mbobu, a well-known advocate in commercial and constitutional law, has shocked Nairobi’s legal fraternity and sparked wider concern over rising insecurity in the capital. Colleagues staged vigils outside the Milimani Law Courts last week, demanding swift justice.
Wainaina, a former Nairobi County chief of staff and now a senior figure in the independence-era party, acknowledged the ordeal had been personally distressing but stressed that the real suffering was borne by the late lawyer’s family. “Every Kenyan deserves justice, fairness, and security,” he said, while offering condolences to Mbobu’s relatives.
The statement also carried a political undertone. Wainaina thanked KANU chairman Gideon Moi and the party’s rank and file for what he called their “unwavering support and solidarity.” His remarks underline the party’s attempt to close ranks at a time when KANU is struggling to retain political relevance in a crowded opposition landscape.
Police say investigations into Mbobu’s killing are ongoing.
