A REAL STORY

A REAL STORY

A man from Bukembe location, Bungoma County has shocked villagers for having attempted suicide three times. The man (name with-held), is currently at Webuye District Hospital nursing serious abdominal injuries after taking poison. This is his third time to behave like this.

He had dismantled his house, sold the iron sheets and all poles to solicit money for buying the illegal brew (chang’aa).  Eye witnesses said that they saw him sleeping within the remains of his house after returning from his usual drinking spree. “He came, slept within the remains of the house and covered himself with broken pieces of a basin”, said the village elder.

Before this incident, he had chased away his wife and two children earning him a title of ‘a notorious woman chaser’. He has sent away his wife on several occasions until he burnt the kitchen to ensure the wife does not come back. The wife got tired of him and went to her parents together with children.

AIDS is said to be the major cause of his awkward behavior. After visiting the VCT, results were that he was HIV+.   Since he didn’t want to leave property when he dies, he decided to sell all his belongings including land.

His attempts to sell land were fruitless as his mother and village elders stopped the move. Seeing the matter getting out of hand, his mother went to report the case at the Bukembe Administration police patrol base. When he learnt that his mother has gone to report him, he ran so fast to the AP post and arrived there earlier than the mother. “I want to sell my land to buy food and eat well before I die because I am HIV+”, he said while tears rolling down his cheeks.

The police officers advised the two to solve the matter at home. The mother was as well reminded to take her son to a psychiatrist.

One thing led to the other, as stress was piling up in this man. On Monday 28/01/2012, he could no longer withstand pressure of life on him. He bought poison, which he swallowed but was rescued before it was too late. Concerned members and relatives administered first aid on him before taking him to Webuye District Hospital, where he is being nursed up to today.