KERUGOYA, Kenya – Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has expressed concern over what he described as an alarming rise in suicide cases across counties in central Kenya, warning that the trend requires urgent and coordinated intervention.
Speaking in Kerugoya during the 33rd Jukwaa la Usalama grassroots security forum, Murkomen revealed that between three and eight people die by suicide every month in some counties, with men — particularly those over 50 years — most affected.
“This is a very unique phenomenon in this region. Many of those taking their lives are men, and the causes vary from family conflicts, drug and alcohol abuse, to social isolation,” Murkomen said.
The CS disclosed that he will commission the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC), a department under his ministry, to investigate the root causes of the rising cases.
“We need scientific data to establish the real triggers of these suicides so we can design appropriate interventions,” he said.
Murkomen noted that discussions with local administrators in Nyeri and Kirinyaga counties revealed several contributing factors, including gender-based violence, inheritance disputes, marital breakdowns, and abandonment by spouses who relocate abroad.
The Interior CS added that the region’s younger population is grappling with substance abuse, including a locally brewed drink known as Makabo — a concoction of molasses and other alcohols — as well as widespread cannabis trafficking.
“We will not relent in cracking down on drug peddlers and unlicensed alcohol outlets,” Murkomen warned, noting that Kirinyaga alone has more than 2,000 bars, of which at least half operate illegally.
He pledged to support ongoing inter-agency operations to close down unlicensed establishments.
The CS urged county governments, administrators, and counsellors to intensify public awareness campaigns on mental health, stressing that suicide prevention remains underfunded despite its devastating impact on families and communities.
“This crisis needs a multi-sectoral response. We cannot ignore it,” Murkomen said.
