Residents of a village in Migori county were today shocked by the news of a man who committed suicide in his house. The body is the man was found dangling from a rafter in the sitting room.
Reports say that the man took his own life after his wife did not come home and slept outside their homestead.
“We quarrelled on Saturday and he said he would kill me. On Sunday when he came home, I chose to sleep elsewhere as he has a nasty temper,” said the man’s wife.
“When I arrived at my homestead, I found people milling around. He had committed suicide,” she added.
The woman said she had only known the man for a period of seven months yet he had threatened to kill her on several occasions. According to the Area OCS Thomas Ongaga, the woman had reported the death threats before.
“On Saturday, the couple were at Obama centre together. Officers thought they had made up,” he said.
Nyumba Kumi elder Paul Mboya said the man was a stranger in the village and had only lived with the woman for three months. The man who committed suicide is believed to have come from Western but Mr. Mboya said they are yet to confirm his home area.
The body of the deceased was taken to the Migori Level Four Hospital mortuary.
For the longest time in Kenya and Africa, suicide and mental health issues have been considered a taboo topic. The number of cases of suicide especially among men is at an all time high time. The world recently marked the International Men’s Day, a day set aside to raise awareness about men’s mental health.
In a shocking report, male suicide was found to be the biggest killer of men under the age of 45.
It’s high time as a society we address the issues facing men and teach young boys that they are allowed to talk about their feelings. This is the only way we can end the stigma and allow those suffering to break the silence and speak up.
Why do you think suicide among men has become so prevalent in Kenya?