The number of lives being lost through suicide in Nyeri remains a critical social threat, new Nyeri County Commissioner (CC), Josephat Biwott, has regretted.
Addressing hundreds of residents who attended Jamhuri Day Celebrations at Kiamuiru Primary School, Biwott said the county is losing at least 10 people through suicide every month, a scenario that is alarming.
The administrator said the problem has been aggravated by the rampant use of illicit brews and proscribed narcotics, including hard drugs which have found their way into the county.
“We are alarmed at the high number of people who are taking their lives in this county. Shockingly out of this number, majority of them are men who form the backbone of any society. We are shocked as Security Committee, that every month we are losing 10 lives through suicide. We need to sit down and find out how we can end this vice. We need to ask ourselves why are we losing 10 people with men bearing the brunt,” he pointed.
During this year’s Mashujaa celebrations, former County Commissioner Henry Ochako, had linked the rising cases of suicide in Nyeri to consumption of alcoholism and substance abuse.
Ochako noted that while the government was doing everything in its ability to tackle the menace, the general public had a responsibility in ensuring success to that end.
“Suicide cases are becoming an emerging problem and its time we all unite in addressing this challenge. We are losing to suicide people in their 20s and 50s who are supposed to be contributing to the development of this country. I am calling upon both community and religious leaders, to join hands in halting this tide. We need to speak to our people and address the underlying issues that could be contributing to this problem,” said Ochako, who has since been transferred to Migori.
Suicide cases in Nyeri have been a thorn in the flesh for some time now, with stakeholders and health experts linking the problem to mental wellness.
Biwott has also raised alarm over the number of fires that are being reported in the county, terming their frequency unacceptably high.
CC noted that within the last six months alone, more than 70 fires have been reported in the county, with 12 lives being lost in the blazes. Two of the victims (both children) perished today.
The administrator called upon both members of the public and drivers to be at the forefront in curbing road accidents, especially during the festive season.
He urged motorists to be extra vigilant while on the road, observing traffic rules to avert losing lives through accidents.
“Reports we have as far as road accidents are concerned in Nyeri, is that during the last five months alone we recorded a total of 76 accidents. Out of these, there were 39 fatalities and 69 cases of grievous injuries. This trend need not continue. Let us take care of one another by observing all traffic rules,’’ he urged.
On education, the CC warned parents who fail to take their children to school that they risk being charged before a court of law.
Biwott said it had come to his attention that some parents with children who had attained school-going age, were still keeping them at home despite the government providing free basic education.
“I am fully aware that there are children who have attained the age of attending school but remain at home for no apparent reason. According to the Children Act, it is an offence to deny your child education for whatever reason and anyone found culpable attracts legal action,” he warned.
“As we head to January next year, we will be moving from house to house and identifying parents who are keeping their children at home instead of taking them to school and thereby denying them an opportunity to get an education that can uplift their lives in future.”
Biwott advised the residents to continue taking advantage of government services such as registering into the Social Health Authority (SHA) in order to help access quality health care.
The administrator advised members of the public to liaise with their local administrators and Community Health Promoters for support in the registration exercise and information on handling emerging health conditions such as non-communicable diseases.
By Samuel Maina
