University student hangs self after losing KSh15,000 school fees to betting

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Catholic University of Eastern Africa has reportedly committed suicide after losing his school fees to a betting scheme.

Brian Ongwae is said to have ended his life at Raila village in Lang’ata, Nairobi after he placed a bet of KSh15,000 and was not lucky to win.

Confirming the incident, Mugumoini area chief George Mukuria says after losing the bet on Tuesday, March 26 evening, the ‘depressed’ 22-year-old student locked himself inside his rented house.

“Curious neighbours later went to his rented house in the area only to be shocked after they found his body dangling from the rooftop,” – Citizen Digital reports.

The deceased reportedly left a note addressing his mother. The body has been removed to City Mortuary.

The Central Bank of Kenya identified Nakuru, West Pokot, Nyandarua, Busia, Trans Nzoia, Siaya and Nairobi counties as having the highest number of youth involved in betting and gambling activities.

According to the report, while all the above counties are above the national average of 11 per cent, Nakuru (25.6 per cent), West Pokot (25 per cent), Nyandarua (23.7 per cent) and Busia (22.3 per cent) are notorious for betting addiction.

Another research report, 2022 by MIT Technology Review, sheds light on the continued escalation of betting addiction in Kenya, particularly sports betting.

The ease of mobile money transactions and the widespread use of smartphones have fuelled the worrying rise in betting addiction across the country. The problem was first recognised in the mid-2010s. Since then, Kenya has moved from dingy betting parlours to extensive online activity.

A GeoPoll survey found that 84% of young Kenyans surveyed had experimented with betting as part of their “hustling” to make more money easily. Of these, a third admitted to betting on a daily basis.

A significant proportion of Kenyans who bet show signs of gambling addiction, and technology has been a major driver of the sports betting phenomenon.

Based by tv47.digital and nairobinews.nation.africa