Another Kenyan Commits Suicide Hours After Being Diagnosed with Cancer

Less than a week after a Kenyan woman hanged herself after she was diagnosed with cancer, a man from Laikipia County has committed suicide over the same reason.

65-year-old Tabathia Mugambi from Kwa Mwaura village in Laikipia East Sub-county killed himself in his house on Thursday evening, Laikipia County Police Commander Maxwell Nyaema confirmed.

“The deceased left behind a suicide note that was found in his house about 200 meters from Kalalu trading center. It stated that he did it on his own and his wife Teresia Kabariti Nyokabi should not be asked anything,” Nyaema said.

His body was found dangling from a rope inside the house hours after he underwent cancer screening at one of the hospitals. 

It was not immediately established what type of cancer the deceased was diagnosed with. His body was taken to Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.

This week, 40-year-old Purity Muthoni from Naivasha, Nakuru County committed suicide after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi.

Muthoni had been undergoing treatment in various hospitals after she developed a growth on one of her breasts but doctors were yet to discover she had cancer. After failing to recover, she decided to seek medication at KNH, where she was diagnosed with cancer.

After she was diagnosed, the deceased traveled back to Naivasha, where she had been living with her sister. She hanged herself with a rope shortly after her sister left her house in Kasarani Estate.

Confirming the incident, Naivasha OCPD Samuel Waweru said her body was moved to Naivasha Hospital Mortuary.

“According to the sister, the deceased received results that she was suffering from breast cancer and she went into depression before committing suicide,” Waweru said.
Joyce Wangui, a neighbor, said the deceased informed her friends that she did not want to experience the kind of pain cancer patients go through.

“She waited until the sister had gone to work before using a rope to commit suicide after telling her friends that she did not want to undergo the pain other cancer victims had gone,” said Wangui.