50 suicides in 10 months: The mental health crisis gripping Naivasha

On the morning of March 3, the body of a 35-year-old man was found hanging from a tree at the sprawling Mithuri estate in Naivasha. Hours earlier, neighbours had heard him complaining about hard economic times.

Although police did not immediately establish the exact cause of death, preliminary investigations indicated he had died by suicide. The body was taken to the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital mortuary, and an inquest file was opened.

In a similar incident on the morning of May 20, 2025, the death of a 37-year-old night guard in Kirima village, Naivasha gripped the national limelight. Preliminary police investigations indicated the man had taken his own life.

Neighbours said the night guard may have taken his life a day after he was sacked by one of the flower firms in the area as part of cost-cutting measures due to harsh economic times. "A day before the incident, he appeared depressed. When I asked him about what was bothering him, he said he had lost his job and was not sure how he would live. I encouraged him to be strong and optimistic," revealed John Kuria, a friend.

Also read: Lost hopes, lost lives: The stories behind Nairobi youths' suicides statistics

The incident came weeks after another man, a youth, died by suicide at Manera area on the outskirts of Naivasha town, citing hard economic times in a suicide note he left behind. The casual labourer, who lived alone, had earlier expressed frustrations about life. He had told friends that life was becoming unbearable and that he did not want to burden his family members.

In the most recent incidents, four people —one woman and three men—have died by suicide by throwing themselves under moving vehicles on the Nairobi-Nakuru-
Eldoret highway. One of the men died by throwing himself under a moving train near Manera Primary School. Eliot Walungu, a witness, said the deceased had fallen out with his wife over various loans he had taken from shylocks and could no longer support the family.

These incidents are just part of the grim statistics of soaring suicides in the lakeside town of Naivasha and its environs. They have left residents, security authorities, and administrators baffled, with unanswered questions about the reasons behind the deaths. The latest incidents have raised concerns of a mental health crisis in the region.

Records from the police, the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital mortuary, and the county public health department show that at least 50 people have died by suicide in the past 10 months in Naivasha.

"We are concerned by the high cases of suicide, mainly involving youth and middle-aged residents, especially men. Most of them are due to family disputes or financial crisis," revealed Naivasha Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Isaac Kiama.

At the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital mortuary, workers revealed that a week hardly passes without receiving the body of a person whose cause of death is indicated as suicide.

"Cases of suicide in Naivasha have been rising. A week hardly passes before we receive a body of a suicide case. Most of the cases are usually those of young people, mainly men," a mortuary attendant told the Nation.

Shockingly, most of the suicides involve flower firm workers.

"We have seen a spike in the number of incidents where both adults and minors are taking their lives, raising fears and anxiety among parents. It is a worrying trend. However, most affected are the youth," said John Kinuthia, a community leader and chairman of the Naivasha Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Cluster Group.

"Our investigations indicated that in most cases, there were family-related issues leading to the surge in suicides. We are concerned particularly by the rising number of youth dying by suicide, and we have launched a campaign where we are encouraging them to speak out," he explained.

While most of the suicides, especially among the youth, are related to hard economic times and depression, mostly due to job losses by flower workers, there is another shocking trend. The Naivasha GBV Cluster Group has raised an alarm over suicides among minors. The group said that so far, more than 10 minors have died by suicide in the past year, with cases attributed to family disputes and harassment in schools.

A few months ago, a 10-year-old boy took his life in Ndabibi hours before schools reopened, under unclear circumstances. Late last year, a Form Two student who had been suspended from school died by suicide outside her parents' home to protest the decision to send her back to the same school.

Kinuthia regretted that the issue of suicides involving minors was raising fears among parents.

"We have seen a spike in the number of incidents where both primary and secondary school students are taking their lives, and this trend is worrying," he said. He noted that initial investigations by the cluster group identified school or family-related issues as the cause of deaths.

Lydia Ng'ang'a, the county mental health coordinator, attributed the rising suicides to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

"Through discussions with community members, we have found that untreated mental disorders top the list of risk factors that push people to die by suicide. 

This is followed by relationship and social problems, socio-economic factors, and a previous suicide attempt or family history of suicide.”

However, the cases are not limited to those diagnosed with mental health disorders. According to Pastor David Ngugi, external factors such as financial strain, relationship issues, or societal expectations also contribute to an individual's sense of despair.

"The cases are a result of financial challenges, especially among couples; relationship conflicts and love issues; failure to meet societal expectations; and sometimes due to drug and substance abuse," stated Mr Ngugi.

Ms Ng'ang'a said the county has stepped up various programmes to help reverse the trend.

"As a county, we have taken proactive steps to address mental health challenges and provide support to those at risk. We run awareness campaigns and programmes to educate communities and our Community Health Promoters to recognise the signs of mental distress and encourage people to seek help. We do this to break the stigma surrounding mental health and create a more supportive environment where people feel comfortable talking about their struggles," she said.

Despite the various interventions, Ms Ng'ang'a acknowledged the gaps in the response.

"A death in the community is a public health issue. Therefore, to combat this, we need a multi-sectoral approach where different stakeholders come together to solve this problem," she explained.

Drug abuse

Religious leaders, local administrators, and the police attribute the cases to hard economic times and money-related stress, family conflicts due to infidelity, drug and alcohol abuse (especially among the youth), and disintegrated families.

Naivasha police boss Anthony Keter said such cases have been fuelled by hard economic times and domestic wrangles, among other issues.

A senior police officer in Nakuru told the Nation that most of those who die by suicide are men.

"Most cases involve people from low-income levels, majorly men. Few women have died by suicide in Nakuru," noted the police officer.

He also attributed the suicides to frustrations among the youth, especially those working in flower firms who are rendered jobless.

"Hundreds of youth have been working as casual workers in flower companies. However, due to hard economic times, some of the companies have closed shop or scaled down operations over the years, leading to loss of jobs. Most are left frustrated and cornered by financial constraints and end up taking their own lives," he added.

The Nation also learnt that men who have taken their lives in Naivasha have left their families in misery, as the majority were the breadwinners.

Dr James Mwaura, a professional counselling psychologist, attributed the deaths to unresolved marital conflicts, financial difficulties, and addiction to drugs, which he said have contributed to the deadly scuffles witnessed.

"Financial difficulties due to the increased cost of living can weigh anyone down. It can push some to despair, to the point of becoming suicidal," said Dr Mwaura.

Bishop John Kariuki also linked the cases to a lack of parental guidance, poor anger management, and drug and alcohol abuse.

"Some people resort to taking their lives due to issues in the family as they fail to handle issues in the family way. Infidelity also has the potential to cause psychological trauma that can trigger violent behaviour, including murder," said Bishop Kariuki.

Also read: What triggers suicidal ideation and self-harm among children?

The high number has forced both government agencies and churches to team up to develop suicide prevention plans and sensitise locals on the need to seek help from family and relatives when depressed.

Ms Ng'ang'a asked residents to always reach out and seek help from trusted friends, family members, or professional counsellors when in difficult situations or when overwhelmed by life.

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