Residents of Naivasha are grappling with the aftermath of two tragic incidents involving middle-aged men taking their own lives under unusual circumstances.

In the first incident, a man in his middle years, who had previously expressed intentions of suicide, tragically ended his life by setting himself on fire inside his residence in Manera estate, on the outskirts of Naivasha town. The victim, who lived alone, had confided in friends about his unbearable struggles and his desire not to burden his family. The incident came to light when neighbors, alerted by screams, discovered the house engulfed in flames. Despite attempts to intervene by breaking down the door, they were unable to reach him as he had secured himself inside.

Joe Mbuthia, a witness, recounted that the deceased, a casual laborer, had previously made threats of self-immolation, which had not been taken seriously until the tragic event unfolded.

In a separate incident in Karati area of Naivasha, another middle-aged man was discovered deceased by hanging in his home, prompting his wife to alert authorities. The man, who ran a business in Naivasha town, left no indication of his intentions, leaving family and friends shocked and searching for answers.

Isaac Kuria, a village elder, expressed bewilderment over the sudden turn of events, noting that the man had appeared in good health earlier that day, adding to the mystery surrounding his decision to take his own life.

These incidents have left the community reeling, as they struggle to comprehend the circumstances surrounding the tragic losses.

John Kinuthia from the Naivasha GBV cluster group has highlighted the town’s alarming trend of over 10 recorded cases of suicide since the beginning of the year, involving several students.

“We are deeply concerned about the increasing number of suicides among the youth, and we have initiated a campaign urging them to open up and seek help,” he stated.

Naivasha OCPD Stephen Kirui corroborated both incidents, confirming that the bodies had been retrieved and transferred to the local mortuary.