This archive report was first published on 4 November 2021.
On November 4, 2021, the quiet village of Kalal in Rachuonyo North sub-County witnessed a tragic event that would shake the community to its core. Kennedy Ochieng', a 41-year-old teacher at Nyong'ong'a Secondary School in Nyakach, Kisumu County, ended his life in a heart-wrenching act of desperation.
According to eyewitnesses, the teacher was found hanging from a mango tree at his village home in Homa Bay. His brother, Michael Ouma, was the one who discovered the body, and in a desperate attempt to save his sibling, he cut the rope with a panga. However, it was too late, and Kennedy was already gone.
Michael Ouma recalled that his brother had never shown any signs of depression before the incident, and their last conversation at midday had been a normal one. However, their sister-in-law, Caroline Anyango, had seen Kennedy with a rope earlier that day, and when questioned about it, he had lied, saying he intended to use it for tying his bed.
Assistant Chief of Kobuya East, Pancras Lumumba, has since liaised with the police from Kendu Bay Police Station, who are investigating the circumstances surrounding Kennedy's death. In a statement, Lumumba urged residents to seek help from available counselling services instead of resorting to drastic measures.
The body was moved to Kendu Adventist Mission Hospital Mortuary, and the community is still grappling with the loss of a dedicated teacher who had been an integral part of their lives.
