Opposition leaders converge at requiem of 12-year-old shot during Saba Saba
By Mabonga Makhanu, July 15, 2025Key opposition leaders on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, joined family and friends of Bridgit Njoki at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Ndumberi, Kiambu County, for the memorial service of the 12-year-old girl who was shot during Saba Saba protests while watching TV.
Those present included DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, former Kiambu MP Jude Njomo, and DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala.
They attended the mass to celebrate the life of Bridgit Njoki, who was killed by a stray bullet during the Saba Saba protests.
Sombre Catholic hymns filled the air as mourners bid farewell. The remains of Brigit lay in a white coffin placed just beneath the podium, a poignant reminder of the tragedy that had brought the congregation together.
The leaders, known for their vocal criticism of police excesses, all sat in the front row with solemn expressions that reflected the gravity of the moment. Earlier, the PMC Children’s Band had led the procession, escorting her body into the church.
Pupils light candles in remembrance of Njoki, whose life was cut short by a stray bullet.
Brigit’s demise
This comes days after the deceased mother, Lucy Ngugi, 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. 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.”