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AP Officer Edith Nyawira: Gone too soon, but why?

Administration Police Officer Edith Nyawira could have taken her life after being dumped by her boyfriend, also a police officer based in Githunguri.

The 35-year-old died by suicide on May 16, in her house in Limuru where she was attached to the Critical Infrastructure Police Unit (CIPU).

Though Nyawira did not show signs of distress before her death, her colleagues say she had confided in them that her boyfriend was having an affair with another woman.

Administration Officer Edith Nyawira. [George Njunge, Standard]

Three days earlier, she had travelled to Githunguri to visit her boyfriend but got disappointed to find the love of her heart in the arms of another woman.

“Looks like Nyawira had so much trust in her boyfriend and was shocked to find him in a compromised situation with another lady,” said one of the officers.

Tigoni OCS John Misoi who worked closely with Nyawira described her as a quiet, obedient and organised officer.

Administration Officer Edith Nyawira. [George Njunge, Standard]

“Nyawira was a brilliant officer with a bright future. It is saddening that beneath her warm smile lay problems that I wish she could have shared with us. Perhaps by talking, a solution would have been found,” said Misoi.

Colleagues who heard gunshots and raced to investigate were shocked to find Nyawira lying unconscious on the floor — hours after complaining that her boyfriend, a police inspector, was cheating on her. They were rushing her to the hospital when she died.

Family left in shock

Nyawira’s family is yet to come to terms with her death.

Her uncle Erastus Waihura said they spoke on the phone as was their daily routine on the day she shot herself, but she never gave any indication that something was amiss.

Nyawira’s mother died when she was young, forcing her to fend for herself by working in clubs which resulted in her dropping out of secondary school.

Fortunately, her uncle, Waihura, who is a teacher, enrolled her back in school where she cleared before joining the Administration Police Service.

Administration Officer Edith Nyawira. [George Njunge, Standard]

Limuru sub-county DCI officer George Muriuki says preliminary investigations indicate that the officer may have ended her life after breaking up with her partner.

“We are yet to conclude our investigations but she might have taken her own life after struggling to cope with the break-up,” he added.

Suicide notes left behind

Muriuki said that police had recovered two suicide notes addressed to the policewoman’s sister and her boyfriend.

He disclosed that part of the note read: “We meet in heaven dear sister. I have also appointed you as my next of kin and please take care of my son.”

 A friend who sought anonymity said the boyfriend ended the relationship last Saturday, saying he was marrying another woman.

“She did not receive the news of the break-up well,” the friend said.

Worrying trend

Hers is not the first suicide involving a female police officer.

About six years ago, a female officer shot and killed herself at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) where she had been deployed.

Corporal Claudancia Weusi had just resumed work from leave when she locked herself in a toilet and shot herself in the head moments after expressing her frustrations on her Facebook account.

 “Life is so difficult when u live in a world here, everybody is planning evil against you and what happens when you can't hold it anymore and no more strength to support the few people who love and cherish u??? you are left with no other option other than…..so help me God,” she wrote.

The August 24, 2016 incident shocked both her colleagues and civilians at JKIA after her body was found in a sitting position on the toilet seat with her official Jericho pistol in one hand.

In January, Sergeant Dorcas Chebet, 27 is said to have killed her husband, Alex Andari, 28 using her G3 rifle before taking her own life over a suspected love triangle.

Chebet who was attached to Kiminini Police Station in Trans Nzoia County travelled to Kiungani Police Station about 10 kilometres away from where her husband was stationed before heading to their house where she killed her husband before turning the gun on herself.

 — Additional reporting by Hudson Gumbihi