29-Year-Old Man Sets Himself on Fire in Kasarani

A 29-year-old man identified as Denise Gakuru on Monday set himself ablaze inside the house in the Kasarani area of Nairobi, police reports show.

Neighbours who rushed to his rescue found him with severe burns and rushed him to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The motive of the young man to take his own life was not immediately clear, but this latest case adds to others in past days that have seen people take their lives amid an economic crisis and high unemployment.

Experts have warned of a ticking time bomb due to rising cases of mental health.

According to police reports, the young man soaked his cloth in paraffin that he likely bought from a nearby retailer.

The report further noted that he doused himself in more paraffin and then wrapped the cloth around himself before lighting a matchbox.

The body has been moved to Kenyatta National Hospital pending an autopsy.

This is the second case this year that a young person has resorted to self-immolation.

In August, a Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) student set himself on fire to protest the rising cost of living. The boy died on arrival at the hospital.

Early this month, a Strathmore University student jumped off the fifth floor of a mall, dying instantly. The case came just a week after another student at Jaramogi University in Siaya County killed himself following a heartbreak.

A series of suicides within law enforcement have also shocked Kenyans, with six police officers taking their lives this month alone.