Twelve-year-old Bridgit Njoki was watching television in her family’s home in Ndumberi, a village near Nairobi, when a bullet tore through the roof and struck her in the head. Within hours, she was pronounced dead an innocent victim of Kenya’s deadly anti-government protests.
Her death on July 7, a day now marked with anguish, came amid nationwide demonstrations against rising living costs, taxation, and state brutality. That day alone saw at least 38 killed, according to Kenya’s state-run human rights commission. The total death toll from protests since June 17 now nears 70.
Njoki’s mother, Lucy Ngugi, is inconsolable. “She was my everything,” she sobbed. “Let me be the last mother to weep because of the death of a child.” The tragedy unfolded inside their home, miles away from the main protest zones. Yet, a bullet still found its way in.
Authorities have denied responsibility, insisting a bullet could not have reached the house. However, a post-mortem confirmed a gunshot wound, and doctors recovered a bullet from Njoki’s body.
Njoki was a Grade 7 student at Benson Njau School. Her family describes her as kind, obedient, intelligent, and deeply spiritual. As the firstborn, she helped care for her siblings and supported her grandmother and mother. “She was number one in her class. She cooked, cleaned, and served in church,” her grandmother recalled.
Njoki’s death has ignited fresh outrage against police violence. The UN condemned the use of lethal force on civilians, and rights groups have renewed calls for police accountability. Yet President William Ruto maintains a tough stance, urging police to “shoot in the leg” suspected vandals.
Back in Ndumberi, grief lingers. Njoki’s empty chair and silent siblings tell a story of profound loss. Her family now pleads for peace and dialogue. “Let Njoki be the last sacrifice,” her mother urged.
As protests reshape Kenya’s political landscape, Njoki’s story has become a haunting reminder of the innocent lives caught in the crossfire and a call for justice, compassion, and reform.
