Shock as man ingests pesticide in suicide attempt in Kagio

According to witnesses led by Simon Kibara, the man is suspected to be from Kinyaga Village and is believed to work as a scrap metal dealer in the town.

The man reportedly consumed the pesticide and collapsed, prompting panic among residents. Some fled the scene while others called the police.
“Instead of people helping him, they were running away. Let me try to help him with some milk,” said a woman who had just bought milk from a nearby shop.

Witnesses said the man began vomiting blood shortly after ingesting the chemical. The pesticide is said to have cost Ksh. 1,200.
“The man must have been going through a tough time, but no one had reached out to him,” said local pastor Joseph Muriithi.

A brave resident stepped forward and attempted first aid by forcing soil into the man’s mouth, despite him being semi-conscious, before police officers from Kiamaciri Police Station arrived and rushed him to Kimbimbi Sub-County Hospital.
“Pesticide ingestion is a serious medical emergency and requires immediate professional attention, but I know soil can help absorb the poison, and that’s why I intervened,” the resident said.

Police officers later confirmed that the man was stabilising at the hospital.
“We have left him in stable condition as we wait for his relatives to identify him,” a senior officer said.

Shocked locals noted that this was the first time they had witnessed such an incident in public.
“Suicides are often impulsive acts driven by stress and relationship problems. People in distress rarely plan these things. We must be at the forefront of offering support,” said Kamau Muchira, chairman of the Kirinyaga County Counselling and Psychological Association.