Charles Oduor 
Residents of Namakhele village, Kimilili location in Bungoma County were left astonished after a middle aged man, Martin Juma decided to dig his own grave for failure to raise fund to service a loan owed to a microfinance enterprise in the area. This occurrence comes as cases of attempted suicide have been on the rise in the region and locals are alleging that to an increase in the living standards and depression due to the effects of Covid 19.
According to Juma’s wife, Christine, her husband owed One Acre Fund a sum of Kshs. 10000 which was overdue and the firm’s debt collectors were relentless in their quest to recover the money. He also owed his neighbor a sum of Kshs. 5000 as a fine after their son destroyed the neighbor’s trees. Martin’s failure to repay the two debts had led to his arrest earlier this week as on Monday, July 26 police took him to their station and was freed after he agreed that he will repay the debts. Mrs. Juma asked well wisher’s to aid the family in repaying the debts.
As Bukusu customs dictates, a mature banana stalk is to be buried, a sheep slaughtered and a cleansing exercise carried out to guard the family from ancestral punishment will befall the society for such a strange act.
By Wycliffe Andabwa
