A junior police officer based at Kimala Matta police post in Taita Taveta County shot dead his senior before turning the gun on himself Thursday, June 29 morning.
Constable Felix Koskei was returning his official firearm to the armoury at around 7.30 am after night duties when he shot Corporal David Kazungu.
The Corporal was shot on the right-hand side of the head and the bullet exited on the left side, again on the chest and left upper leg.
He died on the spot.
Koskei then shot himself in the chin and was rushed to Taveta Sub-County hospital in serious condition but later succumbed to the gunshot injuries.
His colleagues said the cause of the shooting was not immediately established adding that the two were known to be “officers of few words”.
In another case in Kamukunji on Wednesday, a police officer went berserk and fired four rounds before he was finally disarmed and taken to Nairobi West Hospital.
The Kamukunji officer attached to undercover duties within Muthurwa/Landhies road started experiencing hallucinations Wednesday morning as they were being addressed by their seniors.
He ran away at high speed claiming his life was in danger and that some unknown people wanted to kill him.
Kamukunji station commander mobilized a team to track him down and disarm him.
His two colleagues spotted him along Harambee Avenue and managed to talk to him with a view to establishing what the problem was.
He suddenly removed ceska pistol loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition and fired four rounds.
As a result of the struggle, he injured his left hand just above the wrist.
“He was later disarmed and escorted to Kamukunji police station. No cartridge was recovered due to prevailing circumstances. The officer appeared to be mentally disturbed and hence escorted to Nairobi West hospital for treatment,” police said.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the service. Officials link them to mental trauma.
About 60 police officers die by suicide every year due to social, financial and work pressures with the situation continuing to worsen.
A survey shows that 90 per cent of police officers are experiencing challenges related to alcoholism with 50 per cent requiring psychosocial support to come out of drunkenness.
Another survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and National Police Service (NPS) conducted among members of the service found that about 61 per cent of the officers were regular consumers of alcohol.
Some officers use alcohol as a way to cope with the daily stress of their job, or as a way to self-medicate for depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Stress-related cases have led to misuse of firearms that has also led to the death of over 60 officers in similar cases in the last two years.
On October 23, last year, a cop went berserk and shot dead his two colleagues and injured two others before turning the gun to himself at Moyale police station.
Constable Lawrence Kumber based at the station first attacked his colleague Noah Odero by hitting him with a stone.
When his colleague who had just picked up his firearm from the armoury fell down, he disarmed him and rushed to the armoury with the firearm.
At the armoury, he shot Corporal Francis Kokwe, killing him on the spot. The officer went ahead and also shot another officer and seriously injured him on the left shoulder.
After the shootings, the officer proceeded to his house and locked himself inside before shooting himself in the chin.
He died on the spot. Police said the motive of the killing was yet to be established.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta noted that mental health was a real problem and urged police officers to seek help.
“If you see you have a problem, please look for someone to talk to. You will find a solution. There is nothing that cannot be resolved. We are ready to work with you,” President Kenyatta said.
Dr Frank Njenga, the Chairman of Chiromo Health Group and the Presidential Advisor on mental health has also warned the exposure of the police officers was not like what ordinary people face.
“The risks they are exposed to place them at a higher risk of mental illness. Frontline officers for instance who respond fast to distress calls are exposed to PTSD,” he said.
Police headquarters has also said the service has adequate plans to support officers adding that in special cases, deployment and transfer of officers will consider such factors as the health of the officers.
In July last year 2022, a police officer who had earlier been captured on video in full uniform staggering along the road died by suicide just a day after the video went viral.
The body of Constable Harrison Mugo was found hanging inside an old police canteen that got burnt down a few years ago.
Earlier in February, Constable Anthony Mwangi Njuguna 29 also shot his pregnant wife 16 times, killing her on the spot, before turning the gun to himself in Suna West Migori County.
The shooting took place in the presence of the couple’s 2-year-old child who was found unhurt as he helplessly watched the bodies in the living room.
On January 8 2022, another officer identified as Constable Jacob Masha also turned the gun to himself inside his house at Makupa police station.
On December 9 2021, another police officer left behind an emotional suicide note before taking his life.
The Constable based at Changamwe police station said he was suffering from depression and was unable to clear some debts that pushed him to the extreme.
