- Police handled 499 cases in 2019, and 575 in 2020. At least 313 people are reported to have taken their lives between January and July 2021.
- Majority of the victims were male, police reports say
Image: THE STAR
Police are handling at least 10 cases of suicide that were reported at the weekend alone.
The incidents were reported in separate places and have been linked to different issues within families.
Police say there has been an increasing trend of suicide in the country with up to two cases being reported daily.
The first incident was reported in Kayole, Nairobi, where a 27-year-old man died after he allegedly dropped from the fourth floor of his apartment.
This was after he had arrived home late and found his family sleeping.
Neighbours told police the man dropped off the rails at the building and fell to the ground. He died on the spot.
Another body of a man was July 30 found hanging on a tree in Kikuyu area, Kiambu County.
Police said a team was patrolling Acre Tano area when they stumbled on the body on a tree on Saturday afternoon.
In Migori, the body of Geoffrey Odhiambo was found hanging in his house after a suspected suicide.
Police said they were informed that 85-year-old Mary Wairimu died in her house in Kiratina area in a suicide mission. The family told police she stayed alone and had mental challenges.
Police said in Eregi area, Kakamega, James Lirubi, 55, died by hanging himself in his house while in Matungu area, 21-year-old Vivian Warire died by suicide in her house. She was expectant.
According to police, a medical student died by hanging himself in his room in Nzambani, Seku, Kitui County.
The body of Brian Kipkoech was found in his room long after the incident had happened. And in Sultan Hamud area, Makueni County, the body of Philip Mutuku, 39, was found hanging on a tree.
In Kieni, Nyeri, Wanguku Kariuki, 52, died by hanging while in Shauri Moyo, 38-year-old Joseph Kiguta was found in his house after a suicide incident on July 31.
Police said the bodies were moved to the mortuaries in the respective areas ahead of a planned postmortem exercise.
Cases of suicide have been on the rise this year, and authorities blame the trend on mental distress.
Police handled 499 cases in 2019 and 575 in 2020. At least 313 people are reported to have taken their lives between January and July 2021.
The majority of the victims were male, police reports say.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says such cases are attributed to joblessness, the breakup of relationships or a death, academic failures or pressures, legal difficulties, financial difficulties, bullying, previous suicide attempts, history of suicide in a family, alcoholism and substance misuse, depression and bipolar disorder.
Globally, close to 800,000 people die of suicide every year with an estimated 78 per cent of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
Kenya ranks position 114 among the 175 countries with the highest suicide rates.
A task force on mental health established Kenya has a high burden of mental illness due to ill health, psychosocial disability and premature mortality with huge gaps in access to care.
The team found out that the majority of populations in Kenya associate mental health and mental illness with negative narratives leading to a low focus on the importance and benefits of mental health and well-being.
The team also recommended that mental illness be declared a national emergency of epidemic proportions, to prioritize mental health as a priority public health and socioeconomic agenda.
It recommended that mental health be provided with adequate financing in line with international best practice
In Kenya, it is estimated that one in every 10 people suffer from a common mental disorder.
The number increases to one in every four people among patients attending routine outpatient services.