Kiambu mother in tears as she recalls moment her daughter was shot during Saba Saba demos

A sombre mood engulfed Ndumberi village in Kiambu County on Monday, July 7, after it emerged that 12-year-old Bridgit Njoki was fatally shot inside her own home as anti-government protests rocked the area on Saba Saba Day.

Her grieving mother, Lucy Ngugi, has recounted in agonising detail the chilling events that led to the tragic death of her daughter, describing the moment as one that shattered her life beyond repair.

Speaking to a local TV station outside their home on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Lucy narrated that the family had been inside the house shortly after 6:20 p.m. on Sunday evening when a deafening sound rang through the neighbourhood.

They were seated watching television when they instantly heard an ear-shattering sound ring through the entire house.

“We were just sitting inside the house with my daughter at around 6:20 pm when we suddenly heard a loud noise. I looked at her hand and noticed there was blood. I initially thought maybe something like a chair had cut her,” she recalled, pausing to collect herself as emotion overwhelmed her.

The moment of confusion quickly spiralled into horror.

Lucy said that when she tried to check where the blood was coming from, her daughter suddenly collapsed. It was only after taking a closer look that she realised her daughter had a gaping wound on her head.

“When I held her arm to examine the bleeding, she fell to the ground. I looked again and saw there was a hole in her head. That is when I screamed,” she said, her voice breaking. “Her father was outside feeding chickens, and I called him in a panic.”

Saba Saba killings

The mother’s story comes hot on the heels of a report where KNCHR confirmed that 10 individuals tragically lost their lives during the Saba Saba anniversary demonstrations, which unfolded across 17 counties in the country on July 7, 2025.

Additionally, the Commission documented 29 cases of injuries, 2 incidents of abduction, and 37 arrests directly linked to the protests.

In their official statement released on the same day, Monday, July 7, 2025, the Commission highlighted that extensive police barricades were strategically positioned on major highways and entry points, particularly in Nairobi, causing severe disruption to the movement of ordinary citizens.

“The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) is closely monitoring the ongoing situation as the country commemorates the historic Saba Saba Day. As of 1830hrs today, the Commission had documented ten (10) fatalities, twenty-nine (29) injuries, and two (2) cases of abductions,” the KNCHR statement read in part.

The KNCHR further observed that a significant number of businesses nationwide opted to remain closed amid escalating fears of looting and destruction.

The Commission reported confirmed incidents of looting in six counties, with the Kerugoya Central Constituency Development Fund office being deliberately set ablaze by suspected criminal elements.

It also reported that educational institutions across the nation were largely paralysed, with most schools shutting their doors, thereby obstructing the continuity of learning during this critical period.

“Numerous businesses nationwide remained closed due to fears of looting and destruction. Looting incidents were reported in six (6) counties, and the Kerugoya Central CDF office was set ablaze by suspected criminal elements. Learning was paralysed across the country as most schools and educational institutions remained closed.”

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