A family in Ndumberi, Kiambu County, is mourning the tragic death of their daughter, Bridget Wainaina, who was fatally struck by a stray bullet during the chaotic Saba Saba protests on Monday, July 7.
Bridget, a young schoolgirl, was within the safety of her home compound when the unexpected tragedy occurred.
Her family had hoped that staying indoors would shield them from the escalating unrest, but a single gunshot turned their lives upside down.
“We were just relaxing when we heard a loud bang,” her grieving mother recounted in an emotional interview.
“I rushed outside and found my daughter bleeding. She had been shot in the head. Her father and I rushed her to the hospital, but doctors said the bullet was lodged in her head. She didn’t make it.”
The Saba Saba protests, initially expected to be peaceful demonstrations for democratic reforms, spiraled into violence in several parts of the country.
While major towns like Nairobi’s Central Business District remained under tight police control and relatively calm, areas like Ndumberi saw confrontations between protesters and police, some of whom allegedly fired live rounds to disperse crowds.
Infiltrators believed to be criminal elements reportedly looted and vandalized businesses, with supermarkets such as Magunas, Quickmart, and Khetia’s among those affected. Amid the chaos, innocent civilians like Bridget paid the ultimate price.
Bridget’s death has drawn widespread anger and sorrow online, with Kenyans demanding accountability and an end to the use of excessive force by police during protests.
“This is heartbreaking. How many innocent souls must perish before this government takes the right action?” wrote Grace Lisa on social media.
Another user, Salome Machua, lamented, “Not at school, not even at home, everywhere smells of blood. My Lord Jesus Christ, see us through.”
On Tuesday, July 8, Bridget’s family called for justice and questioned why violence had erupted in a town that had previously remained peaceful during recent demonstrations.
“Since these Gen Z protests began, Ndumberi had always been calm. It was safe until yesterday,” her mother said tearfully.
As the nation reels from the increasing number of protest-related deaths, Bridget’s story has become a stark symbol of the innocent lives caught in the crossfire of political unrest.
Calls for restraint, reform, and justice continue to grow louder.
Written By Rodney Mbua
