Four people die by suicide daily as rights body presses MPs to repeal offence

 

Four people die by suicide every day, according to Ministry of Health estimates cited by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, which is calling on Parliament to remove attempted suicide as a criminal offence.

 

“The severity of mental health conditions in Kenya cannot be overstated,” the commission said in a statement on Thursday, World Suicide Prevention Day, warning that the available figures are likely to underestimate the scale of suicide and suicide attempts.

 

The commission said there is no comprehensive national suicide registry and that stigma has kept many cases from being reported.

 

The figures come as Parliament considers the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which would repeal the provision making attempted suicide a criminal offence. The bill is at second-reading stage in the National Assembly.

 

The High Court declared section 226 of the Penal Code unconstitutional in January 2025, finding that criminalizing attempted suicide violated constitutional guarantees of equality and freedom from discrimination, human dignity and the highest attainable standard of health.

 

The ruling followed a petition challenging the provision, which allowed people who attempted suicide to face criminal proceedings. The court said the law was inconsistent with the Constitution and that people experiencing suicidal distress should receive care rather than punishment.

 

The bill, sponsored by Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch, would formally remove the provision from the Penal Code. KNCHR said the change was needed to bring the law into line with the court ruling and move the response to suicide attempts towards care and support.

 

But the commission said changing the law would not by itself address the pressures facing mental healthcare.

 

It pointed to shortages of staff, limited community-based services, inadequate funding and weak suicide surveillance, while saying stigma remains a barrier to people seeking help in homes, schools, workplaces and places of worship.

 

A Ministry of Health policy brief has previously cited the same estimate of four suicide deaths a day and said about 75% of people do not have access to mental health services. The brief called for mental health care to be integrated into primary healthcare, where conditions can be detected and treated earlier.

 

The ministry has introduced guidelines for managing common mental disorders in primary healthcare facilities, but the treatment gap remains wide, with limited capacity among frontline health workers to identify and manage mental health conditions.

 

KNCHR chairperson Claris Ogangah said access to mental healthcare was a matter of human rights, pointing to constitutional protections for equality, human dignity and the highest attainable standard of health.

 

The commission’s statement comes on World Suicide Prevention Day, whose 2024–26 campaign is themed “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”.

 

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 720,000 people die by suicide globally each year. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29, and 73% of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.

 

The WHO says suicide is preventable and identifies timely access to mental healthcare, early identification of people at risk and responsible reporting and discussion as part of prevention efforts.

 

For anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or in need of mental health support, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital provides psychiatric and mental health services through its helpline on 1558 or 0800 721 038. Kenya Red Cross also provides support through its toll-free line on 1199.