A 51-year-old woman is suspected to have committed suicide in Kitoyo area Muino sub-location, West Pokot county.
Ripongura Chepotula Chemworan, a mother of seven, sent her young kids to a shopping centre on Wednesday evening before she took her life.
Her lifeless body was discovered behind her house lying in a pool of blood by her grandchildren and children.
According to Muino Sub-location Assistant Chief Henry Cheppos, the woman took a knife and slit her throat.
“We went to the scene where we found the machete still intact on her throat and she was already dead, the family members were shocked and agreed to settle the matter at home,” he said.
He said the woman has been suffering from a rare skin disease and they suspect her condition might have driven her to kill herself.
The husband of the deceased was not at home at the time of the incident.
“The two have been living happily they haven’t had any wrangles,” Cheppos said.
Cases of women in the area committing suicide have been on the rise in recent times.
Two weeks ago a 57-year-old woman is said to have hanged herself under unclear circumstance.
Cheppos says the woman hanged herself on the tree after her children ignored taking her to the hospital for treatment.
“The woman was sick but the children never minded taking her to the hospital she just woke up and hanged herself, we found her body dangling on the tree,” he said.
He says the two incidents have shocked members of the community and they are now appealing to church leaders to intervene.
“Old women should learn to share their problems with their husbands or with the local administration rather than ending their lives. Sometimes they fear coming to us but we can encourage them to speak out rather than living a stressful life,” he said.
