Psychologist explains why many Kenyan public servants die early after retirement
By Elias Kiplimo, December 10, 2025Public servants nearing retirement are being urged to prepare themselves thoroughly before their service ends to prevent suffering and struggling in their post-work years.
This appeal comes amid growing revelations that a significant number of retiring public servants do not live long after leaving service.
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They are often afflicted by illnesses such as heart disease and high blood pressure, a situation that is causing many to die prematurely.
According to psychologist David Maiyo, an officer from the Lifetime Psychotherapy organisation, research shows that the lives of many government and private sector employees often struggle once they retire.
Speaking on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, during the retirement farewell of William Kendagor, the former Director of Public Health for the Elgeyo Marakwet County Government, in Kapkoros, Maiyo attributed the collapse of these individuals’ lives upon retirement primarily to poor preparation while they are still in service.
“There are many things that contribute to these people dying an early death. Some suffer a heart attack, others from high blood pressure, and you find that their years on earth start to become few,” says Maiyo.
The psychologist pointed out that a major reason retirees feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges is their failure to maintain social connections with the wider community.
This self-imposed isolation is often maintained for long periods during their active service.
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Maiyo further noted that many public service workers cut off relationships with their close relatives and extended family. This becomes a complex problem when they retire and return to the community, making it difficult for them to integrate.
“Many people cut off relationships with their nuclear and extended family when they get employment,” Maiyo asserts.
The psychologist highlighted that upon retirement, many public servants find themselves living in profound loneliness or isolation, a direct result of separating themselves from the community. They are then hit with a shock upon returning to their rural homes. This state of loneliness has caused many retiring officers to lose hope.
“Perhaps a person has socialised and become accustomed to their work colleagues, but they haven’t socialised with their relatives. When they get home, they find themselves living in isolation,” notes Maiyo.
Many public service workers fail to psychologically prepare for retirement; many are simply shocked to realise their time has come, finding the transition a complete surprise.
Many officers retire and go home simply waiting for their retirement funds, having failed to properly plan how they would continue their lives immediately after their service ends.
“And while waiting for that retirement money, you will find that many have never started a business or invested, and they become desperate in life,” Maiyo emphasises.
His statement was echoed by William Kendagor, the former Director of Public Health, who advised workers to ensure they are well-prepared so they can continue living their lives normally upon retirement.
Kendagor urged those planning to retire to prepare early and not live under the assumption that they will work forever.
“You know there is a time for rain and a time for drought, so we must invest and also save,” Kendagor concluded.