IJM launches probe into protest killings, calls for justice for 12-year-old girl shot in Kiambu

The death toll from Monday's Saba Saba protests has risen to 15, according to data shared by the International Justice Mission (IJM) on Tuesday.

In a statement attributed to its Country Director Vincent Chahale, the organisation dedicated to police reforms and addressing issues affecting women and children, said it will take up some of the cases of brutality including that of 12-year-old Bridgit Njoki, a class seven pupil who was killed by a stray bullet at home in Ndumberi, Kiambu.

"On July 7 during the Saba Saba protests, more than 15 people were tragically killed. Among the victims was 12-year-old Bridget Njoki, who was fatally shot while watching television in her home in Ndumberi, Kiambu County. IJM will follow up on this case, and others, to ensure that justice is served for Bridget and her family and the many families mourning the loss of their children," said Chahale.

Chahale noted that Kenya is facing a deeply troubling pattern of human rights violations, "Citizens have endured arbitrary shootings, extrajudicial killings, weaponised sexual violence, assaults, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and forced evictions. These acts represent a grave breach of constitutional rights and must be addressed with urgency and resolve."

Other than deaths, the Saba Saba protests, also witnessed widespread destruction of property that left many families devastated.

IJM added that the indiscriminate use of firearms and excessive force continues to claim the lives of innocent Kenyans.

"We strongly condemn these killings and are alarmed by the growing death toll during protests. In the past three years alone, over 140 Kenyans have lost their lives while exercising their constitutional right to protest," the statement said.

According to the Missing Voices report, 45 people were killed during the 2023 Maandamano protests, 60 during the 2024 Gen Z protests, 20 on June 25, 2025, during the memorial protest for Gen Z victims, and approximately 15 on July 7, 2025, during the Saba Saba demonstrations.

"IJM strongly condemns these abuses by members of the NPS. It is deeply concerning that many of these incidents remain uninvestigated, and perpetrators have not been held accountable. We urgently call on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to conduct thorough investigations and prosecute all those responsible for human rights violations, especially during protests," IJM added.

Chahale further highlighted a pattern of attacks on journalists and civil society members, as well as the use of sexual violence as a weapon of intimidation against women and girls.

"We call for immediate investigations into all reported cases and demand an all-embracing support for survivors," he said.

He, at the same time, reminded the National Police Service (NPS) that it is constitutionally mandated to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, saying the use of lethal force against unarmed citizens is unacceptable.

"We urge the government to immediately investigate all reported human rights violations and hold perpetrators accountable, ensure the protection of peaceful protesters, journalists, and human rights defenders, and uphold the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, which guarantees the rights and responsibilities of all citizens and restore public trust by demonstrating transparency, justice, and respect for the rule of law," urged Chahale.

IJM went on to call for peaceful protests devoid of destruction of property and attacks on police officers.

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