Student waiting to join Form One dies by suicide in Kirinyaga

Tragedy has struck Kibingoti village in Ndia, Kirinyaga County after a 14-year-old boy, who was poised to join secondary school after sitting for his KCPE exams last year, committed suicide on Tuesday over unknown reasons.

The boy's father, James Gatithi, told Citizen Digital that he had successfully cleared the boy's fees and was making final preparations to send him to school when he got word of his unexpected demise.

"I stopped what I was doing and rushed back home to verify the news only to find that my son was no more. I had spoken to him a day earlier and he was in good spirits when I told him that I found a school for him," said Gatithi.

"I had already cleared the admission fees and I was given a receipt which I presented to my boy.

Gatithi's sister, Eunice Wanyaga, who joined the family in mourning described the deceased as hardworking and obedient.

"The deceased and myself kept in constant communication and he never once told me that he was contemplating suicide. So his death came as a surprise to all of us," said Wanyaga.

The boy's body has since been moved to a nearby morgue as his family makes funeral preparations.

The incident mirrors another case, reported in late December 2022 in the same area, in which a grade four pupil committed suicide under unclear circumstances.

The high occurrences of suicide cases in the area have raised concerns among residents and religious leaders alike.