Fight to decriminalise attempted suicide gains momentum as cases surge

Psychiatrist and mental health advocate Prof Lukoye Atwoli has submitted a petition to the Parliament calling for the repeal of Section 226 of the Penal Code. [File, Standard]

In 2007, Emmanuel Brian Mbuthia, then a primary school student in Nyeri, experienced his first anxiety attack. Overwhelmed by a teacher's grating words about his poor performance, Emmanuel harmed himself and ran away from school.

This incident marked the beginning of a long, painful journey with mental health struggles and suicidal thoughts, which would shape his later life for years to come.