Police in Homa Bay are investigating an incident in which a University of Nairobi lecturer died by suicide at his home in Kachola Village, Kodera South Location, in Rachuonyo South Sub-County.
Police said the body of Dr Samwel Owino Mwanda was found dangling from a tree at his compound on Thursday September 19.
Homa Bay County Police commander Hassan Barua said the university don had returned home from Nairobi and his body was discovered by his worker.
He said Dr Owino had an evening meal together with his employee on Wednesday night and was to travel back to Nairobi on Friday.
Barua said police found a ladder next to the tree and a note with the phone number of his wife.
The motive of the incident is yet to be known.
The body was moved to Rachuonyo South Sub-County mortuary for autopsy.
The lecturers in the country are on strike over poor terms of service amid crisis in the education sector.
This was the latest suicide incident to be reported.
Elsewhere in Changamwe’s Saratoga area, a body was found dangling from a tree in a forest.
The scene was visited and the body of an unknown male adult was found dangling from a tree with a nylon rope tied around the neck suicide note recovered.
Police said the body was moved to Coast General hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem and identification.
In Sengera, Nyamira County, the body of a headmaster in a local school was found dangling on the rafter of his house after suspected suicide.
The incident happened in Mokorongosi village and involved Barnabas Nyakundi, 49 who was the headteacher at Mokwerero Primary School.
Police said the body was dangling from the rafter with a rope inside his three bedroom permanent house.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the deceased had been battling depression. No physical injuries were observed and a suicide note was recovered.
The body was moved to Ram mortuary awaiting postmortem.
In Kathiani village, Makueni County, the body of one Justus Muli, 32 was found dangling from a tree with a sisal rope tied on his neck.
Police said no suicide note was recovered at the scene and the motive is yet to be known. The body was moved to Makueni County referral mortuary awaiting postmortem. In Kavaati village, Makueni County, the body of Patrick Mutuku Mulwa, 32 was found dangling from the roof truss with a sisal rope tied around his neck.
The scene was processed and the body was moved to Makueni County referral mortuary awaiting postmortem.
Cases of suicide have been on the rise amid calls to address the trend.
Police say the trend has been worrying and increasing as up to two cases are reported daily.
The World Health Organisation says such cases are attributed to joblessness, death, academic failures or pressures, legal difficulties and financial difficulties.
Other reasons are bullying, previous suicide attempts, history of suicide in a family, alcoholism and substance misuse, depression and bipolar disorder.
WHO rates suicide as a serious global public health issue that is among the top 20 leading causes of death worldwide.
Kenya ranks position 114 among the 175 countries with the highest suicide rates.
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