The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) will lead a Purple Ribbon March on Friday, September 12, to condemn the violence perpetrated against legal professionals.
This comes after the assassination of Lawyer Kyalo Mbobu, who was killed in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday evening on Magadi Road in Nairobi.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo announced on Wednesday that the peaceful procession would begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Milimani Law Courts and proceed through Kenyatta Avenue to Vigilance House, where they will present a memorandum containing their grievances to Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja.
“In collaboration with the Branch Caucus, the Purple Ribbon March will also be observed, across all our eight (8) LSK Branches, countrywide,” the statement read in part.
“Members are encouraged to attend and participate in the march and don the purple ribbon, in honour and solidarity.”
Further, the legal society called upon the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to expedite the investigations to determine the perpetrators and motive of the murder.
“Our security agencies have an immediate duty to act decisively in putting an end to this growing menace. Such calamitous levels of insecurity place our country at the precipice of lawlessness, a state we all bear a Constitutional duty to protect our country from.”
The LSK boss explained that the procession will be calling for justice in the legal profession, citing that intimidation and violence against lawyers must be done away with.
“Too often, Advocates have been victimized and targeted for the work that they do. This incident and other acts of violence, intimidation and retribution against Advocates of the High Court of Kenya represent a damning test to the administration of Justice,” LSK added.
According to reports, Mbobu, who had amassed over three decades of experience, was attacked at around 5:40 pm by assailants on a motorbike who fired at his head before speeding off.
The Senior Counsel Bar (SCB) also joined in honouring the loss of the distinguished lawyer, citing that the murder appears to have been executed by a well-trained assassin.
Led by SC Philip Murgor, the Bar poked holes into a 33-year-old case involving the late city lawyer and Captain (Rtd) Kung’u Muigai; former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s cousin.
“The SCB further notes that on the same day that Mbobu was murdered, a post appeared on social media, in which one Captain (Rtd) Kung’u is captured complaining about a 33-year-old case of his, in which the late Mbobu was at some point his advocate,” Murgor stated.
“Is it a coincidence that he is then gunned down on the same day? Whatever the case, no stone should be left unturned by the DCI, to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book.”
In the post, Kung’u referenced a case dating back to the 1990s that involved a disputed 443-acre farm in Thika. Muigai attempted to revive the case by accusing the judges who handled it and pointing out that some have either retired or passed away.
Kung’u also alleged that some of the judges were bribed to rule against his companies, questioning why he had filed more than 20 petitions over the disputed piece of land since the 1990s without much success.
The claims were, however, dismissed by the Judiciary.
Following Mbobu’s murder, DCI detectives said they have appropriated all resources to establish the assassin and his motives.
“The DCI is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous act are brought to justice. Our investigators are working diligently, employing all available resources and expertise to piece together the events surrounding this incident,” said the police
