This archive report was first published on 19 August 2021.
Published on August 19, 2021, police data revealed a disturbing trend of suicides in Nyeri County, with at least 30 people losing their lives in the past two months.
Mukurweini Sub County topped the list of sub-counties with the highest number of suicide cases, with the majority of victims being men.
According to Nyeri county commander Adiel Nyange, out of the 30 suicide cases, 25 were male, accounting for 83 percent, while five were female.
“From June 1 up to now we have had 30 cases. Out of 30, 25 are men and five cases are women. Statistics reveal that 83 percent are men while 17 percent are women,” Nyange said.
Responding to the crisis, the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has launched chaplaincy and counselling services to help research the underlying causes of the high number of male suicides in Nyeri.
“We have launched a data collection campaign in order to know what exactly is happening in the community with the assistance of the Chaplaincy and counselling we will move out to collect data in order to establish the reason behind these suicide cases especially among men,” Nyange noted.
The Nyeri police boss also decried the rising cases of rape and defilement, with many of the cases being committed by close relatives.
“Around 60 to 70 percent cases of rape and defilement that are reported are connected to relatives. We want to caution parents to be sure of the characters and morals of the relatives they entrust their children with,” the police boss said.
Reverend Thegu Mutahi, the head of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), has urged well-wishers and the government to come to the aid of those affected by the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
