Shock As Kirinyaga Village Elder Dies By Suicide

Residents of Mbamba-ini village in Kirinyaga's Mwea district are in shock after a village elder committed suicide.

Mwea-East Sub-county Police Commander James Mutua recognized Mr. Isaac Muthii Njagi, a village elder and former Mwea Bodaboda chairman.

According to the authorities, the deceased swallowed pesticide before taking a kitchen knife and slashing his own throat.

Police stated the deceased, a well-known village elder, called the officers on his mobile phone just before committing suicide.

“Our officers immediately rushed to the scene of the incident only to find that he had slit his throat with a kitchen knife,” said Mutua – noting that his officers knew him well as a local leader.

“Our officers rushed him to Mwea mission hospital and later to Kerugoya hospital in an attempt to save his life, but he died last night,” said Mutua.

It is unclear why the village elder committed suicide. The wife had apparently left to attend a salon session when the incident occurred.

Residents of Mbamba-Ini have expressed alarm about the region's escalating suicide rates.

According to neighbors, many suicides in the county are the consequence of domestic violence, land disputes, and drug usage.

Reuben Nderitu, the secretary of Mwea's bodaboda group, expressed his sympathies.

“Njagi was our chairman in bodaboda, and was still a very young man. Losing a 35-year-old man is a big loss,” said Nderitu.

The body is currently at Kerugoya Hospital Mortuary, awaiting a postmortem.