52-year-old night guard found dead after losing job in Naivasha

A suicide rope in an abandoned building. [Courtesy/iStock]

A 52-year-old night guard took his life in Kirima village along the Naivasha-Kirima road.

The flower farm worker took his life using a rope a day after he was sacked by one of the farms as part of cost-cutting measures.

The move comes a week after health practitioners in Naivasha raised their concern over an increase in cases of suicide among school-going children.

While calling for more counseling sessions, the practitioners attributed the rise in the cases to dysfunctional family, depression and the use of drugs.

In the latest incident, the guard, according to friends, was living alone and went into depression after losing his job before deciding to take his life.

A community leader Absolom Mweri said that the deceased was among a group of workers that had been laid off due to the harsh economic times.

"Soon after being laid off, the deceased threatened to take his life but his colleagues took the issue lightly before the body was found hanging in his house," said Mweri.

According to John Kinuthia, the chair Naivasha GBV cluster group, over 50 people have committed suicide in Naivasha since last year.

He noted that, unlike past incidents where adults were taking their lives, minors had joined in raising fear and anxiety among parents.

"We have seen a spike in the number of incidents where both primary and secondary school students are taking their lives and this trend is worrying," he said.

He said that initial investigations by the Cluster group indicated that there were issues to do with school or family-related issues leading to a surge in the cases.

"We are concerned by the rising number of suicide among the youths and we have launched a campaign where we are encouraging them to speak out," he said.