A clan chairman in Namarambi village, Webuye East in Bungoma is now asking residents to consider taking their lives on trees, rather than inside their houses.

Fredrick Munialo said the latter is costly, as it involves bringing down the whole house in line with the customs of their clan.

Further, he decried the increased suicide rate in the village.

“Suicide has been on the rise here. The other day we buried on old man from our clan after he committed suicide…. This morning we found this young man hanging on a rope inside his house in similar fashion.” He narrated.

“Bukusu customs,” Mr. Munialo continued, “demand that the house be demolished or obliterated by fire…so I’m urging our youths that are contemplating suicide to do it on trees to reduce the costs of building a new house for the deceased’s family.”

He spoke after a middle-aged man took his life, barely one week after an old man who also served as a village elder, died in similar fashion in the same village.

The former, it is reported had the tendencies of brutally beating up his wife, and the last time he attacked her with panga before he disappeared, only to return home and hang himself inside his house.

“This woman [widow who’s undergoing treatment] will return home and nobody will build her a house. What a loss.” The clan head lamented.

However, a human activist Caro Buyela, called on clergymen to intervene and help couples find solutions to their differences.

Simon Kisaka, Medical Supretendant at Webuye Referral Hospital confirmed the victim was in stable condition.

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