Man commits suicide after alleged cancer diagnosis
A 65-year-old man, who was allegedly diagnosed with cancer, has committed suicide at Kwa Mwaura village in Laikipia East Sub-county. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Laikipia County Police Commander Maxwell Nyaema said that Tabathia Mugambi hanged himself in his house on Thursday evening.
- The police boss added that it was not immediately established the type of cancer the deceased was ailing from and its stage.
- The incident comes just a week after a 40-year-old woman suffering from breast cancer took her life in her sister's house in Naivasha.
A 65-year-old man, who was allegedly diagnosed with cancer, has committed suicide at Kwa Mwaura village in Laikipia East Sub-county.
Laikipia County Police Commander Maxwell Nyaema said that Tabathia Mugambi hanged himself in his house on Thursday evening.
“The deceased left behind a suicide note that was found in his house about 200 metres from Kalalu trading centre. It stated that he did it on his own and his wife Teresia Kabariti Nyokabi should not be asked anything,” Mr Nyaema said.
He said that the deceased's nephew Charles Maina reported about the suicide incident to the police who proceeded to the scene and found the body hanging on a rope inside the house.
ANOTHER SUICIDE
The police boss added that it was not immediately established the type of cancer the deceased was ailing from and its stage.
"The body was removed to Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary," Mr Nyaema said.
The incident comes just a week after a 40-year-old woman suffering from breast cancer took her life in her sister's house in Naivasha, in what relatives attributed to the trauma associated with the killer disease.
The woman had been following the memorial service of the late Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso, who died of cancer, on TV moments before she hanged herself.
Cancer has, in the recent past, claimed many lives including those of several prominent people such as Kibra MP Ken Okoth and former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.
NATIONAL DISASTER
The deaths have seen rise in calls for cancer to be declared a national disaster and a fund established to fight the disease.
Laikipia Woman Representative Catherine Waruguru has also proposed a Cancer Fund Bill 2019 and called on MPs to expedite its debate and approval.
"If we truly want to declare cancer a national disaster, there must be commitment from government through funding and programmes that will be elaborate from the grassroots to the national government starting from the early screening detection and prevention to the cancer caregivers," she said.
-Additional reporting from Macharia Mwangi.
