Kenya don change dia law on suicide but e go change anything?

Charity Muturi don dey fight suicidal thoughts since she dey 14 years.

For her 30s, di Kenyan bin dey diagnosed wit bi-polar disorder. But instead of to allow her thoughts to keep her quiet, she become ogbonge advocate for mental health.

Becos she sabi di kain shame and isolation wey conditions like di one wey she get dey cause, Charity bin work taya to carry di issue enta di goment eye to make sure say pipo wey dey in distress dey met wit care and not punishment.

Pipo wey sabi Charity call am say she dey selfless and unwavering, wey always dey give her time to help odas.

Her younger brother say "like her name Charity, she bin dey full of love, very sacrificial and selfless".

For 6 November last year, Charity die by suicide.

But her campaign to change how pipo dey see mental health for Kenya still dey on. Mental health campaigners say Charity work bin dey important to change di law around suicide for di kontri.

For January dis year, Kenya High Court declare Section 226 of di Penal Code wey make suicide crime, say e dey unconstitutional.

Bifor anybodi wey try to kpai demselves fit face two years for prison or fine or both. Pipo wey attempt suicide bin dey often arrested and prosecuted instead of dem to get mental health support.

January ruling wey Judge Lawrence Mugambi give find say di law wey punish pipo wit mental health issues dey go against dia right to healthcare.

Psychologist and mental health advocate Amisa Rashid, wey work togeda wit Charity say di ruling na victory for Kenyans and honour Charity work to make am come true.

She say, "na very painful moment to pipo wey sabi am, dis go be her legacy".

But Rashid say di struggle to bring wider understanding and acceptance of mental health issues still dey go on.

She say, "sometins dey wey we need to change wey include di societal, behavioural and attitude chage about suicide.,"

However, Rashid say di struggle to bring about wider understanding and acceptance of mental health issues kontinue.

Decriminalization dey Enough?

Di criminalization of attempted suicide get complex history.

For colonial times, many African colonies bin get law against suicide and even though many kontris don comot di laws, some don keep am afta independence.

For Ghana wia dem decriminalise suicide for 2023, mental health sabi pipo report say early signs of improved public look even though di deep-seated cultural beliefs still be challenge.

Dr Akwasi Osei, wey be di former chief executive of di Mental Health Authority of Ghana, tell di BBC say e fit dey "too early to get documented evidence" of complete change in attitudes about suicide mata, but e clear sat di move don lead to "improved perception about suicide and attempted suicide" for id kontri.

For Kenya, mental health professionals hope say di ruling go encourage pipo to find help witout fear say dem go face prosecution.

But many pipo still believe say di stigma wey surround suicide go continue until more efforts dey made to educate di public.

Dr Chido Madzvamutse, wey be mental health medical officer for di World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office say, "decriminalization na step but we gatz move on to more open honest tok-tok about mental health generally. To change society attitude need education, awareness and compassionate support systems".

Cultural Barriers to Change

For many African societies, suicide still be taboo.

Region and culture look am as immorality instead of health issue wey mean say di affected families no fit mourn come outside.

For Kenya, e no dey uncommon say di familes go hide wetin cause di death bicos of fear of stigma.

For some communities, dem no dey do traditional burial for pipo wey die by suicide and even di families fit face discrimination and isolation.

Dis cultural barriers dey make am hard for pipo to find support even wit di change of laws.

Religious leaders for many African kontris still dey against suicide attempts.

Archbishop Peter Ogunmuyiwa, wey be senior official for di Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) — one of di kontri largest religious groups say, only God get rght to take life for offence.

E say, "one of di strong laws for Bible be thou shall not kill. Na abomination bifor God, sin wey no get any forgiveness at all especially wen dem do am on purpose."

But Archbishop Ogunmuyiwa say exception fit dey made for clinically certified individuals wit confam mental illness.

Sheikh Ibrahim Lithome, wey be Kenyan Muslim scholar and di legal and religious advisor to di Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims say suicide no dey allowed for di Islamic faith.

E say, "Life na Allah own and no one get right to destroy. No worldly punishment but ogbonge punishment dey for di afta life. For di pipo wey try suicide and survive also don commit sin". E add say dem need ask for forgiveness.

E say di survivors need support not punishment, say dem need counselling and spiritual guidance so dem go fit find hope.

Even pass religion, Kenyan mental health advocate Amisa Rashid tink say cultural factors like language also get role to play for di stigma.

She explain say di Swahili word for psychosis mean "mad pesin". Dat kain word fit also isolate pipo wey get mental illness.

She say to change di local language for mental health fit help ginger empathy and understanding.

Lessons from Oda Kontris

Ghana experience fit give ogbonge lesson to Kenya move.

Since dem decriminalize suicide, Ghana don launch national awareness campaigns and improve mental health services to encourage pipo to find help.

But di kontri still dey face limited mental health infrastructure and deeply held social stigma.

For Nigeria wia suicide still be criminal offence, advocacy dey work wit goment to change di law.

One National Taskforce on Decriminalization of Suicide bin dey launched for 2024 to fit submit bill give parliament within di year.

Sabi pipo for Nigeria say Kenya court ruling fit be inspiration for dat kain tin to happun for dia kontri.

Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, wey be chair of Nigeria taskforce say, "dem give us one year, we don dey work based on our terms of reference. We dey hope say within dis year, dis kain tin go happun for us."

Wetin go happun next for Kenya.

Even though di ruling from Kenya High Court na ogbonge move, di kontri parliament gatz take action ot formally comot di law.

Mental health advocates want sharp-sharp legislative action to make sure say di ruling cause real policy change.

Di International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) dey work wit Kenyan partners to push for more reforms.

According to Katherine Thomson from IASP, decriminalization na di first step, but goment must to invest in mental health services and public education campaigns.

She say, "Awareness for first responders; police, judiciary, community leaders and health care workers so dem go fit support pipo wit empathy and compassion. Media also get important role to how dem dey tok about suicides for news to support di shift for attitude."

For advocates like Amisa Rashid, di memory of Charity Muturi na reminder of how continued advocacy dey important.

She say, "Charity voice bin dey powerful bicos she bin dey tok from her life experience. We need dat spirit to stay alive and make sure say pipo wey get mental health issues dey di front of policy tok-tok".

If you have don face any of di issues wey we tok ofr dis tori, you fit enta BBC Action Line. Help and support outside di UK dey for Befrienders Worldwide.

Additional reporting by Saida Swaleh.