A fourth-year Kenyatta University student, Ian Ngahu, 24, was discovered dead in his parents’ maize store in Marrel, Bungoma County, in a suspected suicide. His body was found hanging from a sisal rope, though no suicide note was recovered, and the motive remains unclear. The body has been moved to Bungoma County Referral Hospital for postmortem.
This incident highlights a growing suicide trend in the country. In Kitengela, Kajiado County, a 13-year-old boy used a bedsheet to hang himself, while in Ongata Rongai, a 23-year-old man, Hillary Kiprotich, died by suicide using a belt. Both bodies were taken to local mortuaries pending further investigation. Similarly, in Homa Bay County, a 14-year-old primary school girl died by suicide on a tree, with no known motive.
Police have noted an alarming rise in suicide cases, with at least two incidents reported daily. According to the World Health Organization, contributing factors include joblessness, academic pressures, legal and financial difficulties, mental health disorders, and family or personal history of suicide. The government is working to address the issue.
