Finland student death by suicide: ‘My son had a better job in Kenya and regretted going abroad’

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By Jared Nyataya , Stanley Kimuge & Barnabas Bii

“My son had a better job working as a nurse aide in Kenya. He regretted going to Finland.”

Those were Mr Jonathan Kosgei’s words, upon the tragic demise of his son Mr Rodgers Kipruto who is reported to have died by suicide in Finland out of frustration.

Mr Kipruto was among the 202 students from Uasin Gishu County who were airlifted to Finland on a controversial study programme deal between the county government and three universities in the foreign country- Laurea, Jyvaskylla, and Tampere universities.

The programme has been riddled with controversy after the Kenyan students ended up being stranded in a foreign country over fee arrears.

According to Mr Kemboi, their kin was paid some Sh60,000 from the job as a cleaner and it became difficult to meet his personal needs as well as settle college fees and accommodation.

The money had enabled him and a friend to secure an apartment that was going for Sh18,000 up from the previous one that cost Sh13,000 per month.

“My brother’s main worry was how our struggling parents would raise his university tuition fees considering that he was employed back at home and was expected to raise monies for his studies and upkeep,” he stated.

His parents had settled Sh150,000 and were in the process of raising another Sh500,000 by next Monday to pay fees to enable him to continue with his studies.

“It was only on Tuesday morning when I last, talked with him, but he complained that he was feeling unwell. He was feeling fatigued and had pain in the joints. He later sought medical attention at a nearby health facility but the diagnosis did not show any ailment,” added Mr Kemboi.

Read: No student will be deported from Finland, Governor Bii promises

“Some neighbours and friends had learned about the incident as early as Tuesday evening, but they kept it secret until 6 am Wednesday when they came home and shared the sad news before it was circulated on social media platforms,” he revealed.

On Thursday, family members, relatives, and friends gathered at their Chrichir farm in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County as they discussed the next move.

Mr Kipruto's mother Ms Leah Kosgei said President Ruto should intervene to have all the students in Finland under the Uasin Gishu county government study arrangement brought back home.

“Let my son be the last to suffer and die in this manner. He complained a lot, but said they were all struggling as a team,” she said.

“We were deceived into paying 70 per cent of the fees, which is Sh950,000 out of Sh1.2 million, and that the remaining 30 per cent would be paid by students who will be studying and working at the same time. Only to find out later that classes were on full-time for the first seven months,” her husband said.

Today, more parents with students in Finland are expected to join the Kosgei family to mourn with them.

“Come and hear their stories you will be shocked. We have single mothers who sold almost everything to send their children to Finland with the hope of getting a better life. They are now crying because they have nothing else to sell to maintain the children there,” Mzee Kosgei said.

The parents have promised to reveal the full details of what awaited them in the study deal that was kept a secret by cartels- whose results are now showing.

A team from the county government has already visited the home to mourn with the family, but the matter is now being handled by the homicide department from the Finnish government, said Mr Kemboi.

“We are still waiting for communication from the homicide department, Kenyan Embassy in Helsinki, Finland, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, and county government,” Kemboi said.

Finland student death by suicide: ‘My son had a better job in Kenya and regretted going abroad’

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