A bodyguard attached to Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu has died in what is suspected to be a case of suicide.
According to preliminary reports, the officer, who had served the governor since he assumed office in September 2022, died on Wednesday, January 29, at around 3:00 p.m. He reportedly shot himself through the mouth, with the bullet exiting through the back of his head.
Laikipia East Police Commander John Tarus confirmed the incident but noted that investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.
“It is true that the governor’s bodyguard has died after shooting himself through the mouth. He did not leave a suicide note, and his body has been taken to the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary,” said Tarus.
Before his death, the officer had taken a boda boda ride from Nanyuki town to his home in Blue Gum Estate, about three kilometers away. He instructed the rider to wait for him for the return trip, but moments later, the rider heard a gunshot and reported the incident to the police.
The deceased leaves behind a wife and a three-month-old baby who reside in his rural home in Nyanza. His colleagues at the governor’s office recalled spending time with him on Monday evening at a hotel, where he appeared cheerful and showed no signs of distress.
Earlier that day, his last official duty was providing security when Harriet Chigai, the President’s advisor on women’s rights and gender, visited the governor’s office. She was accompanied by officials from Habitat for Humanity Kenya as part of preparations for launching a low-cost housing project in Naibor village, dedicated to the memory of the late U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
The officer’s death adds to the growing number of reported suicide cases across the country.
Bomet Teacher Dies by Suicide
In a separate incident, a junior secondary school teacher from Kabisimba in Chepalungu, Bomet County, also died by suicide on January 7, 2025.
The 38-year-old, who had recently secured employment in Nakuru County, was found hanging from the rooftop of a toilet at his homestead.
According to a police report, his wife, Nelly Bett, said he had left the house early in the morning to use the latrine but never returned. His body was later discovered by family members.
Authorities have raised concerns over the rising cases of suicide in the country, urging those struggling with mental health issues to seek professional help.
