Saba Saba Protests: 12-Year-Old Girl Shot Dead While Watching TV at Home
Families in Kiambu County are in anguish following the deaths of six individuals, including a 12-year-old girl, during the Saba Saba Day protests on Monday, July 7. The families are demanding justice, accountability, and compensation, calling for an independent probe into the police’s use of live bullets during the protests.
Among the victims is 12-year-old Bridgit Njoki, who was fatally shot while watching television at her family home in Ndumberi village. Her mother, Lucy Ngugi, described the heartbreaking moment. “It was around 6:20 pm, we were at home as a family when a stray bullet penetrated our house and caught my daughter on the head,” she said. The house is located 2 kilometers from the main protest area. Njoki died while undergoing resuscitation at St. Brigid’s Hospital.
Another victim, 23-year-old Dennis Mutuma Mwangi, was gunned down just outside his home in Kiambu town. His mother, Friday Kawira, recounted that her son had only stepped out briefly. “My son was shot from the back, meaning he was running away. The bullet came through his neck and killed him instantly right outside our home,” she said, asserting that he was not participating in the protest.
In Ndumberi village, Laban Kamau was also killed after being shot in the head. His mother, Margaret Wangui, expressed disbelief and sorrow. “Ndumberi is a village, not a town center. We were shocked to see such protests here. My son was not a criminal to be gunned down like that,” she said.
The families are now facing financial strain, with mortuary and post-mortem charges being levied at Kiambu Level Five Hospital. They are appealing to the government to step in and cover hospital bills and funeral expenses, emphasizing that the killings were unjustified.
Additionally, 18-year-old Kevin Muiruri was injured during the protests. He sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg in Kabete constituency while fleeing the unrest.
Former Kiambu MP Jude Njomo, who visited the grieving families, strongly condemned the police’s actions and demanded an independent investigation. “How can the police who have killed young people investigate themselves? We need international bodies to investigate and give the dead who were shot by police justice,” he said.
Njomo also questioned the official casualty reports, which claimed only one death in Kiambu, despite six fatalities being confirmed by families.
As the country reels from the aftermath of the protests, pressure mounts on the government to provide justice, accountability, and support to the affected families.
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Saba Saba Protests: 12-Year-Old Girl Shot Dead While Watching TV at Home