Murang’a residents decry rising number of suicides

Residents in Murang’a County have decried the rising cases of suicides, which have hit the county, with young people, mostly men, affected.

According to Murang’a County Police Commander Kemboi Kimaiyo, at least 27 cases have been reported over the past three months, terming the trend as worrying.

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Kemboi said the majority of the victims are men whose ages range between 20 and 60 years, while a few cases of women have also been reported.

Speaking at his office on Thursday, November 6, 2025, the police boss said some of the victims left behind a suicide note explaining why they had opted to take their lives.

On his part, the police boss revealed that some of the reasons given include financial constraints, domestic wrangles, and others are perceived to have mental issues.

“There was a young man from Kandara aged 22 years who left behind a note indicating that he could not manage his mother’s upkeep, as it was taking a toll on him,” Kimaiyo said.

“For the older men, though the majority don’t leave a note, the investigations into their background reveal negligence and abandonment by their children or spouses, driving them into despair,” he added.

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Women affected

For the women, he said, they are not able to handle the domestic wrangles and opt to end their lives, and some even kill their children.

“One of the female victims had left a note saying she opted to take her life due to domestic issues,” he added.

“Recently, we had two women who killed their children, one by drowning them and the other by stabbing, and they had also attempted suicide but were saved,” said the police boss.

Likewise, increased drug abuse and alcoholism have also been termed as contributing factors to the increased suicide cases, especially among the youth.

Kimaiyo has now called for massive sensitisation of the members of the public on how to manage their personal matters instead of committing suicide.

“There is a need to create self-awareness amongst the people to help them manage personal issues and also seek help when they feel strained,” he added.

There has been concern over the growing cases of suicide in the country, and though no accurate figures have been captured, a report by the Ministry of Health in 2021 indicated that four suicide deaths were being reported every day.

This prompted the government to initiate the National Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2026 and the Kenya Mental Health Action Plan 2021-2025, aimed at reducing suicide mortality and integrating mental health services into primary healthcare.

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