Police in Homabay County are investigating an incident in which a 16-year old student is accused of murdering his mother.
The suspect is believed to have pounced on his mother identified as Nelis Ogutu, strangling her to death before hacking her lifeless body.
Kayanja Sub Location Assistant Chief Moses Sirawa confirmed the incident, noting that the motive of the murder remains unknown.
According to the administrator, the minor who is a form four student at Nyatoto Mixed Secondary school arrived home from school on Thursday evening and attacked his victim shortly after evening meals.
Police suspect mental health challenges
Reports indicate that the minor used a machete to hack his mother for reasons that are yet to be established.
Neighbours were attracted by a commotion at the deceased’s home and rushed to the scene where they found 39-year-old lying on the ground.
They rounded up the suspect who was at the scene and handed him over to the police with investigations commencing.
He added that detectives suspect the student may have committed the heinous crime as a result of mental health challenges.
The body of the deceased was taken to Kirindo mortuary.
Mental health concerns in Kenya
Mental health issues are a significant concern in Kenya, affecting one in four individuals at some point in their lives.
Access to mental health services however remains low with 75% of the population in Kenya not able to afford or access necessary mental health services.
The cost of accessing mental health care in the country is financially prohibitive, with therapy sessions and medication adding substantial expenses
Despite legislative efforts, such as the Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 2022, aimed at enhancing the rights and services for individuals with mental health conditions, the country still faces substantial challenges.
The Kenya Mental Health Action Plan (2021-2025) provides a strategic framework for improving mental health services, yet the implementation and funding of these initiatives remain problematic.
The Taskforce on Mental Health, established by the government in 2019, identified mental health as a national public health emergency.
Editor's Note: Help is available, your life is valuable and you are not alone. Should you or a loved one be struggling, don't hesitate to reach out to:-
- Befrienders Kenya suicide prevention hotline +254 722 178 177
- Niskize suicide prevention helpline 0900 620 800 or +254 718 227 440.
- Mindful Kenya offers mental health services on short USSD code *702*30#. By following the prompts a person seeking professional mental healthcare is linked with a specialist under guarantee of anonymity.