Editor's Review

  • The police force has been challenged to step up efforts of supporting Kenya's security forces as they battle mental health struggles.

A prison officer shot himself dead at the Nairobi remand prison, according to a police report.

The officer identified as Felix Kiprono reportedly committed suicide on Tuesday at the prison's watchtower.

A video seen by Nairobileo showed officers at the scene lowering his body from the watchtower while a crowd observed.

This comes after another warden at Mwea Prison in Kirinyaga shot a policeman dead. The man then killed himself in what police suspected was a love triangle gone sour.

A police constable attached to the GIgiri Police Station killed himself on the Afternoon of Tuesday, June 8, 2021.

According to a police report, the deceased officer shot himself using a registered AK47 rifle.

The officer is said to have committed suicide at the Amisom offices behind the United States Embassy, which are located about 4 kilometers from Gigiri Police Station.

Amid a silent mental health crisis in the police force, the National Police Service (NPS) launched a counselling programme to help officers deal with depression and contain increasing cases of suicides.

Inspector-General of Police Hilary Mutyambai said the NPS had established Service Counselling and Rehabilitation Centre to address psychosocial problems affecting its members.

He urged police officers to seek help when faced with stress rather than committing suicides.

The stress of work sometimes takes a toll on their mental health. Officers engage and deal with crime on a daily basis. They receive and handle matters of defilement, rape, murder, suicide and other serious crimes every other day.