12 year old Kenyan shot dead in her own home

On July 7th, during the ongoing protests against police brutality in Kenya, a 12 year old child was shot in the head in her own living room, according to a report by the BBC on July 11th.

The 12 year old child had no idea that these raging clashes with Kenyan residents and the government’s police force would find their battles in her living room. A single bullet pierced the roof, puncturing the ceiling and shooting Njoki in the head, her mother reported to the BBC. Njoki was still sent to the hospital, but hours later, she was pronounced dead in the hospital.

“She was my everything,” a statement made by his mother, Ms Ngugi, whilst sobbing in her home just outside of Nairobi, adding another statement, “she was all I had.”

“Let me be the last mother to weep because of the death of a child. An innocent child. I wish she was even playing outside… but inside the house? Oh lord, this is painful.” 

Njoki being one of the youngest victims of the violence that has shackled Kenya over the recent events of protests in the country. Almost 70 people dead and hundreds wounded in the three majour protests that took place since June 17th, according to a report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

The protests against the government, mainly led by young Kenyans over reasons such as discontent towards issues such as cost of living, tax hikes, runaway public debt, and police brutalities occurring all over the country.

On July 7th, the day 12 years old Njoki died, the authorities in Nairobi blocked majour roads in preparation for the protests made in Kenya. Different video leaks of evidence showing the police firing tear gas and some cases, using ammunition in live residential areas where protesters regrouped.

“The bullet came over the roof of the house. It penetrated into the ceiling, right where Njoki was seated on a chair,” according to Margaret Njeri, Njoki’s grandmother.

“Immediately, her mother grabbed her and came screaming to my home: ‘Mum, my child has been shot!’ I couldn’t eben hold the child.”Margaret Njeri further added.

The family initially thought they were far from the violent clashes, given they lived in Ndumbere, a village almost 1.2 miles awat from a main road to Nairobi, Kenya.

“I was sure it was a bullet,” according to Ms Ngugi. “The bang that hit the roof was so loud. Very loud.”

The police dismissed the family’s claims, insisting a bullet couldn’t travel from the main road to their house. However, Njoki’s death told a different story. A report from Njoki’s post-mortem examination states that the doctors retrieved a bullet from her body, and that her injury was “consistent gunshot.”

Furthermore, Njoki, a grade 7 student at Benson  Njau school in Ting’ang’a, a nearby village. She was the family’s first born, she was a caretaker, a helper, and the pride of the household.

“She was always number one in her class,” her grandmother states. “So obedient, so specific, so neat” 

“Even in the way she spoke. She was just a very good girl. She loved serving in church. She helped her siblings. She cooked for me. She was everything.”

Njoki’s mother, Ms Ngungo, described her as “a beautiful girl, a charming girl, who had so many dreams.’’

Her father is found devastated at the death of her daughter, unable to speak. Her siblings are also silent as grie and sorrow surround their home, while late Njoki’s chair is found empty.

The death of many other Kenyans, like Njoki, drew international condemnation. The UN states that it was deeply troubled by the deaths and killings and criticised the Kenyan government, specifically the police force, for using “lethal ammunition” against protesters.

President Ruto specifically took the side of his police force, further stating that on July 7th protests where 38 people were found dead, according to the state-run human rights commission.

Anyone caught burning another person’s business or property should be shot in the leg, hospitalised, and later taken to court. Don’t kill them, but ensure their legs are broken,” Kenyan President Ruto states.

BBC, Maghrebi.org