Police in Homa Bay are investigating the suicide of Dr. Samwel Owino Mwanda, a University of Nairobi lecturer, whose body was discovered at his home in Kachola Village, Kodera South Location, Rachuonyo South Sub-County.
The lecturer’s body was found hanging from a tree on Thursday, September 19, by one of his workers, according to Homa Bay County Police Commander Hassan Barua. Dr. Owino had recently returned from Nairobi and had shared a meal with his employee the evening before. He was scheduled to return to Nairobi on Friday.
Police reported finding a ladder next to the tree and a note containing the phone number of his wife. The motive for the act remains unclear.
Dr. Owino’s body has been taken to the Rachuonyo South Sub-County mortuary for an autopsy.
This incident comes amid a wider wave of suicide cases in the country. In Nyamira County, a primary school headmaster, Barnabas Nyakundi, was found dead in his home in Sengera. Police said Nyakundi had been battling depression. No physical injuries were noted, and a suicide note was recovered at the scene.
In Makueni and Mombasa counties, other cases have been reported, where victims were discovered hanging from trees or roof trusses, with some leaving no suicide notes behind. Police are still investigating these cases, but motives remain unknown.
Suicide cases have been on the rise, with police warning about the concerning trend. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies joblessness, academic pressure, financial hardship, depression, and substance misuse as common contributing factors. Globally, suicide ranks among the top 20 leading causes of death.
The bodies of the victims in these incidents have been moved to local mortuaries for post-mortem examinations.