Tragedy struck the small village of Mogoroka in Kitutu Masaba constituency, Nyamira County, when the lifeless body of Josphat Mayaka, a 15-year-old Form Two student, was discovered. The young boy, unable to bear the burden of unpaid school fees amounting to Sh20,000, allegedly took his own life by hanging.
Josphat’s parents, Philip Mayaka and Joyce Nyanchera, found themselves in dire financial circumstances, leading to a delay in fulfilling the required school fee. Despite their low-income status, they had promised their son that they would gather the necessary funds to secure his education and that of his younger sister, who was on the verge of joining Form One.
Mr. Philip Mayaka, expressing the family’s predicament, explained, “We are very low-income earners and live a precarious life as you can see. But we had assured him that we would pay the fee as long as he could be patient.” The parents pleaded with Josphat to remain patient while they worked to accumulate the funds.
The shocking discovery unfolded when the family realized Josphat did not wake up as usual one morning. Upon entering his room, they were met with the devastating sight of their son hanging from the ceiling, a mosquito net tied around his neck. Mr. Mayaka recounted the unusual circumstances, saying, “We were alarmed as his radio was on until 5 a.m., which was unusual. We had to investigate what was going on. The door and window were sealed from the inside. We broke the window and found him hanging from the ceiling, having tied the mosquito net to himself.”
Overwhelmed with grief, the mother, Joyce Nyanchera, mourned the loss of her son, and his body is currently preserved at the Hema Hospital morgue.
Mr. Mayaka shared the family’s intentions, stating, “The deceased was studying at Bobaracho High School. We had planned that if we got the fee, we would pay half for him and the other half for his younger sister who sat for KCPE in 2023.” He appealed to compassionate Kenyans to assist his daughter, who is yet to embark on her Form One journey, in realizing her educational dreams.
