Investigations into the murder of lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, who was shot dead along Magadi Road on September 9, have encountered major setbacks caused by missing CCTV footage and minimal forensic evidence.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen told the Senate that the last functioning HD CCTV camera before exiting Nairobi’s boundary is located near the Lang’ata Road–Magadi Road junction.
“Beyond this point, the CCTV camera installed along Magadi Road is inactive and therefore not operational at the time of the incident,” he said in response to a question from nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana.
Murkomen revealed that most CCTV cameras within Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) and along the route the lawyer used were non-functional, forcing investigators to rely on footage from private establishments. These include Sagret Hotel, Town House, where Mbobu’s law firm was based, and Brookhouse International School.
“CCTV footage from Sagret Hotel, Town House (where the deceased’s offices are located), and Brookhouse International School were retrieved and is currently under analysis by investigators to provide actionable leads.
Investigations are ongoing with the objective of gathering sufficient evidence to identify, apprehend, and prosecute the key suspects behind the crime. Nonetheless, the DCI is not relying solely on CCTV footage but continues to pursue other investigative avenues to generate credible leads,” Murkomen told the Senate.
According to police reports, Mbobu was attacked around 5:40 p.m. while driving home in his metallic grey Toyota Land Cruiser (KCA 177W). Detectives believe two men on a motorcycle, one of them armed, ambushed him near Brookhouse International School and shot him eight times before escaping toward Galleria Mall.
A post-mortem examination by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor confirmed that Mbobu died from multiple gunshot wounds. Two bullet heads retrieved from his body, along with spent cartridges collected at the scene, were forwarded to the DCI Forensic Laboratory for ballistic analysis.
Murkomen added that investigators have already interviewed several witnesses, including employees of Kyalo & Associates Advocates, where the lawyer worked, and recorded their statements.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the deceased was entangled in several debts owed to shylocks, some of which were linked to fraudulent transactions,” Murkomen said.
CS Murkomen further revealed that preliminary findings show Mbobu had been drawn into fraudulent gold scams and fake antique deals, which could have worsened his financial situation and exposed him to dangerous networks.
Status of National CCTV Integrated Command Centre
The Interior Cabinet Secretary also briefed senators on the status of the National CCTV Integrated Command, Control, and Communication (IC3) system, which manages public surveillance in Kenya’s main cities.
“The National CCTV Integrated Command, Control, and Communication (IC3) system currently provides extensive surveillance coverage in Nairobi and Mombasa. The system comprises approximately 1,899 surveillance cameras and 281 ANPR cameras deployed across 664 sites nationwide, with Nairobi hosting the largest concentration. Coverage includes Nairobi CBD and key arterial roads such as Thika Superhighway, Mombasa Road, Jogoo Road, Ngong Road, and Waiyaki Way, as well as critical installations including airports, government buildings, and major intersections,” he said.
However, Murkomen acknowledged that the system’s overall efficiency has declined due to damaged equipment, leased fibre infrastructure, and inactive sites.
“The existing CCTV and ANPR systems have been in operation for over eight years. The natural expiry of their product life cycle, both hardware components such as servers, storage, and networking devices, and software, has reached end-of-life and can no longer sustain reliable operation,” he explained.
The CS added that ongoing road and infrastructure projects, particularly the Nairobi Expressway, had damaged surveillance cables and cameras, further reducing coverage and system reliability.
“These works have interfered with, and in several instances, damaged existing infrastructure, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the surveillance network,” he said, noting that budget constraints had delayed critical repairs and slowed the integration of AI-enabled monitoring technologies.
To address these gaps, Murkomen said the ministry plans to expand CCTV coverage to other major towns through a partnership with Safaricom PLC. The project will focus on restoring non-functional cameras, replacing outdated hardware, and rehabilitating damaged coverage areas to ensure consistent nationwide surveillance.
He noted that while the IC3 system provides investigators with real-time footage and analytical tools, it still depends on leased fibre networks and shared data centres, underscoring the need for the government to establish its own independent surveillance infrastructure.
“In areas where public CCTV cameras are non-functional, the government supplements surveillance efforts through partnerships with private entities, including hotels, schools, and office blocks, which provide CCTV footage upon request to support ongoing investigations and security operations,” Murkomen added.
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