Wakikuyu have the most suicide cases

General
1

[ATTACH=full]399963[/ATTACH]

2

Death by suicide has for ages caused stigma, and those who survive to face the law: attempted suicide is illegal in Kenya and many other African countries.

In the West, suicide has been decriminalised, which is what mental health advocates have been championing in Kenya, but their efforts are yet to bear fruit.
Suicide, they argue, is a mental health issue. In June 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta acknowledged the burden of mental ill health, calling for measures to handle the situation before it went out of hand.
Covid 19 Time Series
https://public.flourish.studio/resources/bosh.svgA Flourish chart

https://public.flourish.studio/resources/bosh.svgA Flourish chart

“Depression has today become a common phenomenon and it affects persons from all walks of life and ages,” said President Kenyatta.
“I urge employers and institutions of learning to invest more time and resources in monitoring and facilitating the mental well-being of their charges.”

He directed the Ministry of Health and relevant bodies “to formulate an appropriate policy response.”

ALSO READ
[B]Covid-19: 2.4 million Kenyans fully vaccinated as 18 test positive[/B]
[B]Covid-19: Three die as 22 test positive in last 24 hours[/B]
[B]Covid-19: 2.3 million Kenyans fully vaccinated as 59 test positives[/B]
[B]Covid-19: 88 fresh cases recorded, 57 recover in last 24 hours[/B]
[B]Kenya reports no Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours[/B]

Two years down the line, policies have been proposed, written and presented to Parliament but not much has changed and the Covid-19 pandemic only worsened the situation.
Data compiled by the Department of Operations at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) between April and June 2021 showed that Central Kenya leads with 181 suicide cases, followed by Rift Valley with (68), Nyanza (67), Nairobi (63), Eastern (57), Western (29), Coast (14) while North Eastern had the least at only three cases.
The DCI did not include reasons for the cases.
According to mental health advocates and legal experts, decriminalising suicide is one way of managing it.
Victor Kamau, the deputy director, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), argues that suicide is triggered by pressure and rising stress levels.

“The world is at the moment struggling under the impact of a multiplicity of problems, which cause severe stress, leading to a lot of suicide or attempted suicide and there is a need to help those affected by referring them for medical help, counselling and psychosocial support,” says Kamau.
Prof Lukoye Atwoli, a psychiatrist and a member of the Mental Health Task Force in Kenya, says mental health diseases are like any other and “if you have depression you are no different from somebody who has diabetes or hypertension.”
He adds, “If you have schizophrenia and you are having a psychotic episode in the street you are not different from someone who has been knocked down by a boda boda and is bleeding. We should treat them the same way with compassion.”
Related Topics
SuicideMental HealthCentralk KenyaCovid-19

Share this story


Men Ate At His Restaurant Without Paying, Days Later, The Owner Gets A LetterHigh Tally|
Sponsored


Foods To Eat To Unclog ArteriesHousediver|
Sponsored


Murdered BBC scribe had kept off Addis on safety fearsShe was found dead at a Westlands hotel, in her room. A man believed to have killed her also lay dead a few floors, after jumping through her hotel wiThe Standard

Be The First To Comment

Post

Load More Comments
Village maternity centre eases mothers’ agony
At least 65 per cent of women deliver in health facilities, with maternal mortality at 691 per 100,000 live births.
Kidney transplant better, cheaper than dialysis
The decision was lauded by Health Cabinet Minister Mutahi Kagwe, saying it will ensure more Kenyans access affordable dialysis services.

LATEST STORIES
https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images/sunday/clinical_trials_in_a619a3cd49d6cf.jpg
Clinical trials in Africa a global imperative
[B]Health & Science[/B]
By DR LUTZ HEGEMANN
[ul]
[li]Kidney transplant better, cheaper than dialysis[/li][B]Health & Science[/B]
By ROSE MUKONYO
[li]Anybody home?…it’s Daktari wa Kijiji[/li][B]Health & Science[/B]
By NANJINIA WAMUSWA
[li]Stage 4 breast cancer not a death sentence[/li][B]Health & Science[/B]
By ROSE MUKONYO
[li]Why Sunday worst day for heart attack[/li][B]Health & Science[/B]
By AYOKI ONYANGO
[/ul]

.RECOMMENDED

By MERCY KAHENDA | 4w ago
[B]The suicidal give no warning[/B]


By MERCY KAHENDA | 1mo ago
[B]When the workplace is a mental prison[/B]

By GLORIA MILIMU | 1mo ago
[B]Men suffer ‘postpartum depression’ big time[/B]

By ROSA AGUTU | 1mo ago
[B]Stardom comes with demons[/B]

[SIZE=5]GET OUR NEWSLETTER[/SIZE]
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest developments and special offers!
Submit
[SIZE=5]CONNECT WITH US[/SIZE]
https://img.icons8.com/color/48/000000/facebook-circled--v1.pnghttps://img.icons8.com/color/48/000000/twitter-circled--v1.pnghttps://img.icons8.com/color/48/000000/instagram-new--v1.pnghttps://img.icons8.com/color/48/000000/linkedin-circled--v1.pnghttps://img.icons8.com/fluent/48/000000/youtube-squared.png
[SIZE=5]DIGITAL NEWS[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Videos[/li][li]Health & Science[/li][li]LifeStyle[/li][li]Opinion[/li][li]Education[/li][li]Columnist[/li][li]Moi Cabinets[/li][li]Arts & Culture[/li][li]Fact Check[/li][li]Podcasts[/li][li]Epaper[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]THE NAIROBIAN[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]News[/li][li]Scandals[/li][li]Gossip[/li][li]Sports[/li][li]Blogs[/li][li]Entertainment[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]ENTERTAINMENT[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Showbiz[/li][li]Arts & Culture[/li][li]Lifestyle[/li][li]Events[/li][li]Puzzle[/li][li]Videos[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]EVE WOMAN[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Living[/li][li]Food[/li][li]Fashion & Beauty[/li][li]Relationships[/li][li]Videos[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]FARMKENYA[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]News[/li][li]KTN Farmers Tv[/li][li]Smart Harvest[/li][li]Podcasts[/li][li]Farmers Market[/li][li]Agri-Directory[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]SPORTS[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Football[/li][li]Rugby[/li][li]Golf[/li][li]Tennis[/li][li]Basketball[/li][li]Athletics[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]TRAVELOG[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Travel Tales[/li][li]Wine & Dine[/li][li]Join The Club[/li][li]Magazine[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]ENTERPRISE[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]VAS[/li][li]E-Learning[/li][li]Digger Classifieds[/li][li]Digger Motors[/li][li]Jobs[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]TV STATIONS[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Ktn Home[/li][li]Ktn News[/li][li]BTV[/li][li]KTN Farmers Tv[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]RADIO STATIONS[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Radio Maisha[/li][li]Spice Fm[/li][li]Vybez Radio[/li][/ul]
[ul]
[li]Corporate[/li][li]Contact Us[/li][li]Rate Card[/li][li]Vacancies[/li][li]DCX[/li][li]Privacy Policy[/li][li]Terms & Conditions[/li][/ul]
[ul]
[li]https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/images/footer-logo2.png[/li][/ul]
©2021 The Standard Group PLC

×Search

Death by suicide has for ages caused stigma, and those who survive to face the law: attempted suicide is illegal in Kenya and many other African countries.

In the West, suicide has been decriminalised, which is what mental health advocates have been championing in Kenya, but their efforts are yet to bear fruit.

Suicide, they argue, is a mental health issue. In June 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta acknowledged the burden of mental ill health, calling for measures to handle the situation before it went out of hand.

Covid 19 Time Series

Flourish logoA Flourish chart

Flourish logoA Flourish chart

“Depression has today become a common phenomenon and it affects persons from all walks of life and ages,” said President Kenyatta.

“I urge employers and institutions of learning to invest more time and resources in monitoring and facilitating the mental well-being of their charges.”

He directed the Ministry of Health and relevant bodies “to formulate an appropriate policy response.”

ALSO READ
Covid-19: 2.4 million Kenyans fully vaccinated as 18 test positive

Covid-19: Three die as 22 test positive in last 24 hours

Covid-19: 2.3 million Kenyans fully vaccinated as 59 test positives

Covid-19: 88 fresh cases recorded, 57 recover in last 24 hours

Kenya reports no Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours

Two years down the line, policies have been proposed, written and presented to Parliament but not much has changed and the Covid-19 pandemic only worsened the situation.

Data compiled by the Department of Operations at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) between April and June 2021 showed that Central Kenya leads with 181 suicide cases, followed by Rift Valley with (68), Nyanza (67), Nairobi (63), Eastern (57), Western (29), Coast (14) while North Eastern had the least at only three cases.

The DCI did not include reasons for the cases.

According to mental health advocates and legal experts, decriminalising suicide is one way of managing it.

Victor Kamau, the deputy director, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), argues that suicide is triggered by pressure and rising stress levels.

“The world is at the moment struggling under the impact of a multiplicity of problems, which cause severe stress, leading to a lot of suicide or attempted suicide and there is a need to help those affected by referring them for medical help, counselling and psychosocial support,” says Kamau.

Prof Lukoye Atwoli, a psychiatrist and a member of the Mental Health Task Force in Kenya, says mental health diseases are like any other and “if you have depression you are no different from somebody who has diabetes or hypertension.”

He adds, “If you have schizophrenia and you are having a psychotic episode in the street you are not different from someone who has been knocked down by a boda boda and is bleeding. We should treat them the same way with compassion.”

Related Topics
SuicideMental HealthCentralk KenyaCovid-19

Share this story
Men Ate At His Restaurant Without Paying, Days Later, The Owner Gets A Letter
High Tally
|
Sponsored
Foods To Eat To Unclog Arteries
Housediver
|
Sponsored
Murdered BBC scribe had kept off Addis on safety fears
She was found dead at a Westlands hotel, in her room. A man believed to have killed her also lay dead a few floors, after jumping through her hotel wi
The Standard
Be The First To Comment
write a comment…

Village maternity centre eases mothers’ agony
At least 65 per cent of women deliver in health facilities, with maternal mortality at 691 per 100,000 live births.
Kidney transplant better, cheaper than dialysis
The decision was lauded by Health Cabinet Minister Mutahi Kagwe, saying it will ensure more Kenyans access affordable dialysis services.

LATEST STORIES
Clinical trials in Africa a global imperative
Clinical trials in Africa a global imperative
Health & Science

By DR LUTZ HEGEMANN

Kidney transplant better, cheaper than dialysis
Health & Science

By ROSE MUKONYO

Anybody home?…it’s Daktari wa Kijiji
Health & Science

By NANJINIA WAMUSWA

Stage 4 breast cancer not a death sentence
Health & Science

By ROSE MUKONYO

Why Sunday worst day for heart attack
Health & Science

By AYOKI ONYANGO

.
RECOMMENDED
The suicidal give no warning
By MERCY KAHENDA | 4w ago

The suicidal give no warning

When the workplace is a mental prison
By MERCY KAHENDA | 1mo ago

When the workplace is a mental prison
Men suffer ‘postpartum depression’ big time
By GLORIA MMILIM

3

Chifu why do you think our kikuyu brothers are killing themselves?

4

Depression amongst the young generation especially men. Due to pressure the society has put upon them

5

Over ambition and lack of fathers are among the reasons

6

Over ambition? That’s new.

7

Singo matha kids? But even guys who grew up in complete families are killing themselves. I was in my village two months ago. Four guys aged between 35-50 had just commited suicide in that area. And none of them is a kid of a single mother. In fact most of them were doing well in life

8

I think the guy means to say pressure from colleagues and desire to get rich quick

9

Tamaa

10

Yes that one

11

Those cases needs to be studied,maybe they felt there life isn’t progressing at the rate they want
Another major cause of depression is stagnation

12

Yes,if you’re over ambitious it’s hard to be happy because every time you feel there’s a lot that needs to be done

13

Looks can be deceiving? Lack of morals i.e Gutamurana culture and lack of social support by the local community because it’s everyman for their own self with the exception of burials.

14

True. We lack the social support systems back huko sendro. Looking across you don’t see much desperation cause everybody is hustling and meeting their basic needs. But so many people are hurting inside due to pressures of the rat race

15

Kikuyu culture is very materialistc alafu combine that with rampant alcoholism (an expensive habit to maintain btw) na hii shida ya single matha kila mahali ju hawawezi kaa na mwanaume hana pesa. Transfer the same person to place kama coast with their conservative culture na cheap natural alcohol with plenty of access to cheap women ujue zile standards watu wanajiwekea in these big cities are just unrealistic.

16

What happens after we transfer the mungich to coast?

17

:smiley: simaanishi literally, i’m just saying that they grow up under very different circumstances and their cultures have different expectations. Mtu amegrow up kilifi anakunywa mnazi cheap 50 bob na anakula cheap teenage pussy, his culture accepts that so he doesn’'t worry as much as mungich mwenye bibi is at a risk of abandoning him ju hana pesa atafute another mungich billionaire ama anyakuliwe na mjaka who can spend on her. Enda mahali kama western where polygamy is encouraged although huko wanauana sana ju ya vitu za ujinga. Ukienda nyanza where wanawake wanacomplain their men don’t marry them anymore. The rest of kenya is just the same, wakalenjin hawapendi kukuliwa na wanaume wengine. Wamaasai wamekalia wanawake wao sana, wasomali pia. Most of these suicide cases are caused by relationships and most relationships problem ni shida za unrealistic expectations kama pesa.

18

Everything about coast ni opposite ya central

19

I get you

20

Everywhere people are commiting suicide like nansense ,today we buried 3 neighbors all suicide cases .but it’s attributed to marital problems