Tears and despair grip families in Kiambu after six people, including a 12-year-old girl, were killed by police gunfire during “Sabasaba Day” commemorations that turned chaotic. The victims’ families are demanding justice, compensation, and an independent investigation into the use of live bullets by police.
One heartbreaking account comes from Lucy Ngugi, mother of 12-year-old Bridgit Njoki, who was shot dead while watching TV at home in Ndumberi village. “It was around 6:20 pm, we were at home as a family when tragedy struck as a stray bullet penetrated our house and caught my daughter on the head,” Ngugi recounted, adding that their home is 2 kilometers from the main road where protests were taking place. Njoki died while being resuscitated at St. Brigid’s Hospital.
Another victim, Dennis Mutuma Mwangi, 23, was shot dead outside his home in Kiambu town. His mother, Friday Kawira, tearfully stated, “My son was shot from the back, meaning he was running away and it came through to the neck killing him instantly right outside our home.” She insists her son was not protesting but had just stepped outside to see what was happening after washing his clothes.
Laban Kamau was also shot in the head in Ndumberi village. His mother, Margaret Wangui, expressed her shock: “Ndumberi is a village and not town center, we were shocked to see such protests which has left me without a son and it is so hurtful since my son is not a criminal to be gunned down like that.”
Adding insult to injury, families are being charged mortuary and post-mortem bills at Kiambu Level Five Hospital despite their loved ones’ deaths being attributed to police shootings. They are calling on the government to cover hospital bills and burial preparations, emphasizing that the “impromptu killings were uncalled for since live bullets were used by police to disperse protestors.”
The violence also left 18-year-old Kevin Muiruri, a student, with gunshot injuries to his left leg in Kabete constituency while running away from the skirmishes. He describes being left by police after being shot, with well-wishers eventually taking him to the hospital.
Former Kiambu MP, Jude Njomo, who visited the grieving families, echoed calls for an independent investigation. “How can the police who has killed the young people investigate themselves? We need international bodies to investigate and give the dead who were shot by police justice,” he stated. He also criticized police reports for allegedly understating the number of casualties, citing the official report of only one death in Kiambu contrasted with the six lives confirmed by families.
Parents are also raising concerns about the alleged use of “goons” by authorities in Mt. Kenya regions, claiming that police target innocent young people who are not involved in looting or throwing stones, rather than the agitators.
