As a task force appointed in November to  assess mental status countrywide starts its work today, the high number of homicides is raising concern that the emotional state of most Kenyans is at the tipping point.

The team, co-chaired by Dr Frank Njenga and the ministry of health officials   which was appointed in November 21 last year and starts its sittings in Meru today, will recommend possible solutions after the sittings across the country.

This year alone, over six lives have been lost. The latest was on Friday night at Kunati Police Post where Julius Mwenda was killed by a police officer after he went to report  an assault.

 Mwendwa is said to have arrived at the police post in Tigania, Meru, at around 9.30pm where Constable Cyrus Muriithi, whom he had gone to complain against, was present.

Flee station

The officer in charge of the post Corporal Cyrus Nabea directed that another officer record the complaint.

However, without any warning or altercation, Muriithi cocked his G3 rifle, shot the complainant in the chest and escaped from the station to unknown destination.

The following day, the body of the officer was found lying  in a pool of blood in a maize plantation, about 30 metres from the post.

It is believed he had committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. The G3 rifle loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition was found next to the body.

On January 6, Philip Chepkwony axed Richard Kipkorir to death in Chagina village in Emurua Dikirr, Narok county. The attacker was subjected to mob injustice but was later rescued by the police.

In another case on January 5, Pastor Elisha Nyadoya of God Gospel Ministries in Kisauni, Mombasa showed up to church like any other worshipper and took a front row seat.

But as the worshippers were engrossed in prayers, he left his seat and approached his wife senior pastor Ann Mugoi at the pulpit and stabbed her several times then turned the knife on himself leaving both of them dead.

In a 17-page suicide note he left behind, Nyadoya accused the wife of infidelity as well as reportedly dispossessing him of the church they built together.

A few days after the tragedy, a mother in Kisumu attempted to kill her four children and herself after learning that her husband had moved in with a younger woman.

Mercy Anyango, a small-scale farmer lives in a rented house in Awasi township  after moving from her home in Homa Bay with her four children. The five have been undergoing treatment at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.

In another puzzling incident, a teacher at Ndooni Primary School was lynched by irate parents in Kitui county last Monday.

Daisy Mbaluka was hacked to death before her body was set on fire and burnt to ashes.

Latest reports indicate the brutal attack could have been  a result of an extortion ring and torture.  

It is barely 15 days into the New Year, and these macabre killings and attempted murders have occurred in what has become a worrying crime trend.

Looking closely at the circumstances that provoked the murders and suicides questions emerge on why Kenyans are easily taking away life even at the slightest provocation.

Experts pin the increase of these incidents to a combination of complex factors and say a deliberate conversation on the root causes may be key in curbing such incidents.

Susan Kahema, a counselling psychologist, says the rise in these crimes is due to an erosion of the ability to handle stressful situations.

“As a society we are losing emotional resilience. This is partly due to socio-economic factors and political pressures.

Similarly, our stress management techniques are weak and people do not want to work hard in looking for long lasting solutions for various life problems,” she says.

Instead, some are considering ending their lives or kill the people they are in dispute with as a way of putting a permanent end to their challenges.

Kahema says support systems within the community have equally waned leaving people in limbo whenever they are faced with serious life challenges.

Kahema adds that marital woes, which have adversely contributed to these murders, could be solved if the community went back to being close knit as it was before.

“In the African culture, whenever a family had marital problems people would go back to their parents or elders for guidance.

But presently most of the time is spent looking for money to meet economic needs.

Technology has made many people resort to Internet for solutions instead of talking to other people,” she says.

Mental disorder

Steve Mbuthia, a certified professional coach, says people have limited avenues to decompress from various pressures of life including the prevailing high unemployment and tough economic times.

These emotions are bottled up such that people easily resort to murder or suicide even at the least provocation.

“For many, such also points to deteriorating mental health among the Kenyan population.

This is exacerbated by the fact that awareness of causes and treatment of various mental health conditions including depression remains starkly low,” he said.

Some suicides are linked to mental disorders and many occur in moments of crisis when one is dealing with difficult events such as financial problems, relationships break-ups and chronic illnesses according to World Health Organisation.  

Conflict, abuse, disaster and loss are also closely linked to suicidal behaviour.

Mbuthia urges a rethink in how mental health in Kenya is handled. “We need to create safe spaces where people can freely talk about the various life pressures and get help. Let us embrace a culture of seeking therapy,” he adds. 

Religion, which was seen as an avenue of teaching sanity and respect for human life, has not been effective in playing the role due to emergence of confusing doctrines that impart contradicting values.

Dr Geoffrey Wango, Psychologist, and University of Nairobi, says an escalation of crime such as corruption and murders without the proper legal action being taken has given the population the impression that it is easy to do something illegal and get away with it.

“When people steal, or commit murder and appear to get away with it, it essentially implies that other people can and will duplicate the behaviour,” he says.

Wango suggests strict penalties to be imposed against crimes such as murder and more vigilance in prosecuting them.

But even as the legal process takes its course against the perpetrators of such heinous acts it is necessary to address the triggers of such behaviour. Most perpetrators may actually have mental illness.

“It is important to not just prosecute them, but also take them through therapy. If someone attempts to commit suicide, taking them to prison is not the solution,” says Mbuthia.