Cop in hospital, under watch after attempted suicide in Gucha, Kisii

The woman was rushed to a local hospital on Friday September 26, 2025 after she was found on the roadside following a failed suicide attempt, police said.

The police officer attached to Ogembo police station is believed to have swallowed poison before she was found unconscious by a boda boda rider who took her to the hospital.

Medical attendants said she was in a stable condition after being attended to. Local officials said they were investigating the incident with an aim of taking further action including helping her.

The motive of the incident is yet to be established, police said.

Suicide is emerging as one of the leading causes of death in the service.

On September 10, 2025, the National Police Service joined key stakeholders and partners to mark World Suicide Prevention Day at the Cooperative University of Kenya in Nairobi.

The purpose of the day is to raise global awareness that suicide can be prevented.

The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, was represented by the Director of Counselling and Psychosocial Support at the Kenya Police Service (KPS) Headquarters, Evelyn Mbugua.

Kanja called for urgent need to confront suicide as a national concern.

Kanja emphasised the National Police Service’s deliberate steps to strengthen mental health systems for officers and their families.

“These efforts include establishing counselling offices, chaplaincy services, psychosocial deployment, and forming partnerships with institutions such as Africa International University and DMF-Kenya,” he said.

He called for the need to break the silence and end the stigma surrounding mental health, to strengthen access to counselling and psychosocial support; and to build strong partnerships across society to save lives.

As part of efforts to address the trend, police authorities have launched counselling services, and the National Police Service Commission has established a unit and staffed it to attend to their demanding situation.

The counselling unit, among other things, evaluates, designs and leads an outreach programme that helps prevent mental health and substance abuse.

Officials say police are generally on the receiving end of all community problems.

They are expected to maintain law and order in very difficult situations, besides putting their lives at risk.

Over the years, a spike in deaths in the service has been linked to trauma.

The World Health Organisation says such cases are also attributed to joblessness, death, academic failures or pressures, legal difficulties and financial difficulties.

Other reasons are bullying, previous suicide attempts, history of suicide in a family, alcoholism and substance misuse, depression and bipolar disorder.

The government says efforts are being made to address the menace.