This archive report was first published on 18 July 2020.
Located in the heart of Nakuru's Central Business District (CBD), a 30-foot footbridge has been a lifeline for pedestrians crossing the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway. However, beneath its safe and sturdy appearance lies a dark reality - it has become the most popular site for suicide jumps in the county.
Just before reaching the Gatehouse Roundabout, two bridges run parallel to each other across the four-lane highway. The first is an old colonial-era railway bridge, 18 feet high, still used by cargo trains from Nairobi to Kisumu and Malaba. In contrast, the 30-foot high footbridge, constructed in 2010 by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), is supported by concrete pillars on either end of the road.
Along the bridge's length, metal pieces form a web, one meter high, while the upper part has widely spaced bars, leaving enough room for an adult to squeeze through and gain a clear view of the highway. Below the bridge, a gentle slope tempts motorists to accelerate, oblivious to any object or person falling from above.
Despite its intended purpose of minimizing accidents involving speeding motorists and pedestrians, the bridge has turned into a death spot. At least five lives have been claimed, including a man, woman, and three street children. The most recent incident occurred on July 12, when a woman, who had passed by a vendor selling masks just minutes earlier, threw herself from the bridge.
“I heard a loud bang behind me and thought it was a tire burst. People started wailing pointing below the bridge. I saw an adult woman lying next to a car,” said the vendor, Julia Wanjama. The woman's body hit the tarmac headfirst, and her skull burst open, with her body hitting a passing car. She died minutes later.
Nakuru East Sub-County Deputy Police Commander Phanton Analo confirmed the incident, stating that the motive for the suicide was yet to be established. The woman's body was taken to the county morgue, and an inquest file was opened.
Further investigation revealed that the woman was a mother of four living in Kanyon Estate, on the outskirts of Nakuru town. Afraha Sub-location Chief Timothy Ali stated that the deceased had informed her friends of her intentions before taking her life. “As she left home, she told her neighbors that she was going to kill herself. They didn’t take it seriously as they thought she was drunk or joking. They were later shocked to hear of her demise,” said Ali.
A similar incident occurred on April 25, when a county government employee used the same spot to take his life. Burton Onyaru, the employee's father, stated that his son was battling depression linked to his social life after separating from his wife. However, he noted that his son didn't show signs of depression, but as a parent, he felt his son was not at peace.
Traders operating near the bridge reported at least five suicide cases since December last year, with some people being rescued before taking their lives. Psychiatrist Iregi Mwenja attributed the increased suicide cases to already reported cases of depression among the population. “We can’t run from the fact depression is a serious challenge in our societies. These could be copycat suicide cases triggered by having knowledge that someone else killed themselves there,” said Mwenja.
