Mombasa Man Who Set Himself on Fire Dies in Hospital

A 27-year-old engineering student, who set himself ablaze in an attempt to take his own life on Thursday, has died.

Coast General Chief Hospital Administrator Dr Iqbal Khandwalla said the man sustained severe burns and died while admitted at the ICU.

“He had severe burns and succumbed to injuries,” said Dr Khandwalla.

Officials said Robert Gituru died at the Coast General Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Friday morning.

Ahmed Miraj, a classmate of Gituru’s at Eldoret University said the deceased graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2021.

“We joined in 2014 but remained in school for seven years instead of four because of the strikes. He appeared frustrated because he had not secured a job,” Miraj said.

A video doing rounds on social media showed Gituru holding a Kenyan flag with his left hand on a statue.

The family members told the officer that the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) student was battling mental illness at the time of the incident.

The family called on police to bring to book a man who was caught on camera aiding Gituru to take his own life.

“There is a video which has been widely circulated of a man who now should be treated as a suspect. He assisted the deceased in committing suicide by passing over a matchbox which had fallen off after he climbed on a pillar at the Jomo Kenyatta avenue,” a member of the family said.

Mombasa County chief fire officer, Ibrahim Basafr, said Gituru suffered 80 per cent burns after he doused himself with paraffin and set himself ablaze in Mwembe Tayari.

The student was rescued by well-wishers moments after his body went up in flames and rushed to Coast General Hospital.

Basafar noted that preliminary investigations indicate the student purchased paraffin and set himself ablaze due to a lack of pocket money.

“We have since established that one of the reasons for setting himself ablaze was due to lack of pocket money to sustain his life while at the University. He was unable to get menial jobs hence he had lost hope and decided to commit suicide,” he noted.

Gituru’s family had reported the deceased missing from their Limuru home, three days ago.

They are now planning to ferry their kin’s body to Limuru ahead of burial preparations.