Flower farm worker dies by suicide in Naivasha

A flower farm worker in Naivasha died by suicide in what relatives suspect could be due to financial frustration.

The incident brings to more than 70 suicide cases in the lakeside town.

Most of the cases involve school-going minors.

In the latest incident, the body of the flower farm worker in his mid-30s was found hanging in his room by neighbours after he went missing for a couple of days.

A resident, Simon Ntalale, said the deceased fell into depression after parting ways with his wife over his health conditions.

Ntalale revealed that the deceased was under medication and had on several occasions threatened to commit suicide.

“The deceased was working in one of the flower farms, and he was morally and spiritually down as he was sick and the wife decided to abandon him,” he said.

Naivasha DCIO Isaac Kiama said that initial investigations pointed to suicide, though an inquest file had been opened.

“Neighbours reported the missing man, and when police broke in, they found the body hanging from the ceiling, and it has since been taken to Naivasha mortuary,” he said.

John Kinuthia from Naivasha GBV cluster group, said cases of suicide involving minors and youths in Naivasha were on the rise.

Kinuthia noted that in the last month, two minors had committed suicide and three others had attempted before they were rescued and taken to hospital.

“We have recorded a worrying trend where school-going minors are also taking their lives through the rope, and this is worrying,” he said.

Kinuthia said that since the year began, over 70 people, including minors, had committed suicide in and around the lakeside town, with depression playing a major role.

“In one of the cases, a woman just walked to the road and jumped under the wheels of a moving trailer and died on the spot,” he said.

He said that the cluster group had identified informal settlements as the most affected by cases of suicide in the last two years.