This archive report was first published on 1 October 2021.
On multiple occasions, Kiprotich Rop, a police officer attached to Marsabit Police Station, has attempted to take his own life. He has now publicly confessed to struggling with depression and is pleading with Kenyans for help.
According to Kiprotich, he has been suffering from depression and feels that no one is willing to listen to his struggles. However, he has expressed his desire to live, citing his expectant wife who is relying on him for support.
"Please help me, I don't want to die. My wife is pregnant and I do not want to leave her behind," Kiprotich stated in his appeal.
His plea comes at a time when mental health experts have reported that about 60 police officers die by suicide annually, with many succumbing to social, financial, and workplace pressures.
Stagnation in rank, disciplinary actions, and inadequate monitoring of junior officers are among the causes of stress identified in police officers.
Just a month ago, a Senior Sergeant from Siaya Huduma Centre took his own life, burning down his house in the process.
