Man Set HimSelf on Fire Over High Cost of Living

An unknown man set himself on fire on Thursday, August 17, in Mombasa allegedly to protest the harsh economic times that are facing millions of Kenyans.

A video emerged online of the man atop a concrete block near a petrol station around Mwembe Tayari in Mombasa lighting himself on fire while bystanders watched as others recorded.

The rising cost of living amid a business slowdown and job cuts has pushed millions of Kenya into despair.

The man was incensed by locals who claimed that he was setting himself on fire because he had stolen some goods.

Onlookers tried to stop him begging him to stop, with some assuring him that all would be well.

In a video seen by challyhnews, the man was seen pouring liquid suspected to be a flammable substance on his body before lighting himself. 

A police officer based in Mombasa, confirmed to a local media house that the man had indeed set himself on fire.

“We have already rushed him to Coast General Hospital where he is receiving treatment,” he stated adding that police officers were yet to question him on what prompted him to take the drastic action.

In a recorded video, the man was heard complaining that the 2022 presidential poll was bungled stressing that his preferred candidate was rigged out. 

Nonetheless, the man fell short of explaining how the outcome of the poll was connected to setting himself on fire.

The cost of living is an emotive issue in Kenya. Most Kenyans lamenting online have complained that it is increasingly getting harder to afford basic items.