Five More Die As Suicide Crisis Haunts Kenya

Five more suicide incidents were reported to police on Wednesday in the country in an alarming trend.

This is an addition to the seven that were reported on Tuesday alone increasing the cases to 12 in two days.

The incidents happened in Gesonso and Ramasha in Kisii, Mathira in Nyeri, Ndanai, Sotik in Bomet and Kenol in Muranga. The victims were all male and died through hanging and poison. Police say they are investigating the cases. Cases of suicide have been on the rise this year and authorities blame the trend on mental distress.

There were 174 cases of suicide reported in 2020 as compared to 196 in 2019, 302 in 2018, 421 in 2017 and 302 in 2016. Majority of the victims were male, police reports say.