Dr Victoria Mutiso, a prominent clinical psychologist and head of research at the Africa Mental Health Research and Training Foundation (AMHRTF), was shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle in Nairobi on Wednesday morning.
The attack occurred near Kenyatta National Hospital while Dr Mutiso was in a taxi. Police report that a four-wheel-drive vehicle blocked the taxi before the assailants opened fire. She was rushed to hospital but succumbed to her injuries.
Authorities indicated that the killing was targeted. Nairobi police chief Issa Mohamud confirmed that investigators are following promising leads. Evidence at the scene included a spent cartridge sent for ballistic analysis.
Police revealed that Dr Mutiso had previously reported threats to her life. She had filed a complaint at Kilimani police station after gunmen on a motorcycle pointed a firearm at her during a traffic jam. The investigation into that incident was ongoing.
Additional motives under consideration include family disputes over property and her upcoming marriage, which was planned to be solemnised in the coming weeks. Dr Mutiso was also a mother of two.
Professional Contributions
Dr Mutiso specialised in youth mental health, substance abuse, and the integration of community health services. Her work focused on developing culturally appropriate tools and interventions to promote mental well-being and delay or prevent severe mental illness among children and adolescents, particularly in underserved urban informal settlements and rural areas.
She served as principal investigator and co-investigator on multiple mental health projects within Kenya and collaborated with international partners. Notably, she co-led the NIHR Global Health Research Group project “HOPE,” which addresses homelessness and severe mental illness in Africa.
Her extensive research and publications have significantly contributed to public mental health knowledge in Kenya.
