While the increasing prevalence of suicide among the younger generation, and the male gender in particular has lately come to light, the rate at which this is happening might just well overlooked.
On Tuesday, April 9 a Form Four student from Trans Nzoia County was reported to have committed suicide.
This brings the total of suicide cases among people aged 20 and below to five. Just in April, and its barely two weeks into the month.
One other trend among all the five cases? They are all boys.
The first case heard this month was of a Chinga Boys Form Four student who was in the morning discovered with a bedsheet tied around his neck. This was in April 3. Students reportedly went to bed as usual after their evening preps and it was then that the boy took his own life.
This was followed by a case in Migori where a Class Eight Soprangenya Primary School boy’s body was found by herders hanging from a rope on a tree a few kilometers from the school. April 4. The boy had just sat his end of term examinations and left school for lunch with other pupils but did not return.
A 19-year-old man on April 4 was again found having committed suicide in Kitwii village, Machakos County. The man’s body was found dangling from the roof of his liquor shop.
A 13-year-old class seven boy was on the same day found dead in Kirinyaga when he was thought to have gone to sleep. Area Chief Godfrey Mithamo said that the Rurii Primary School boy hung himself using a rope in his uncle’s house. It is reported that his mother had just scorned him about stealing rice.
In the fifth case on April 9, the 20-year-old Taito Secondary Form Four student from Trans Nzoia dosed himself with petrol at his parent’s home.
This is reported to be the second case in the Goseta Village within two months.
How suicide became a quick fix to problems, and when we even got here as a nation remains a tough bone to chew for the stakeholders and every single member of society.