Death of TV journalist Kimani Mbugua by suicide retains the searchlight on central Kenya, where statistics shared by Nyeri County Commissioner Henry Ochako on Monday show 100 young and middle-aged people took their lives in the past 10 months.

The high incidence of suicide is attributed to alcoholism and drug abuse. However, Mbugua’s case has a different tone – he had a history of sporadic mental illness that saw him go in-and-out of hospital, according his family, police and former employers’ reports.

“Suicide cases are an emerging problem and it is time we all unite in addressing this challenge. We are losing people in their 20s and 50s, who are supposed to be contributing to the development of this country to suicide. I call upon both the community and religious leaders to join hands in reversing this tide. We need to speak to our people and address the underlying issues that could be contributing to this problem,” Ochako said during National Heroes Day celebration in Mweiga, Nyeri.

Mbugua, whose remains arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday afternoon, took his life at a rehabilitation centre in Mombasa, where he was under care. In a note to his mother and father, the journalist said he wilfully took his life to end spells of pain in and out of hospital.

The journalist’s body was received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Sonko Rescue Team, a service run by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, which facilitated the entire process of moving Mbugua’s remains from Mombasa to Nairobi.

Mbugua, who had been battling mental health, reportedly died by suicide at a rehabilitation facility in the coastal town of Mombasa, where he had been undergoing treatment.

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, known for his philanthropy and humanitarian efforts, personally coordinated the transfer of Mbugua’s remains to his family in Kiambu County. Sonko Rescue Team took charge of all logistical arrangements, including air transport, ground handling and hearse services.

“We received a request from the family to help bring Kimani home and we couldn’t say no. He was one of us,” Sonko said.

At the airport, Mbugua’s father Dedan Kimathi, accompanied by family members and close friends, received the body alongside the Sonko Rescue Team. He thanked Sonko for standing with the family during the difficult time.

“We are truly grateful to Governor Sonko for helping us bring our son home. At such moments, it is kindness like this that helps us carry on,” Kimathi said.

Speaking to the media, the grieving father said the family had accepted that Mbugua’s death was self-inflicted, citing findings by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and CCTV footage from the rehabilitation centre that confirmed there was no foul play.

–           A Tell Media report