Man claiming to be Jesus tries hanging himself from traffic lights in Nairobi

Onlookers at the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) on 13 January watched in horror as an unidentified man tried to take his own life by hanging himself in the middle of the city.

The middle aged man climbed on one of the traffic lights within the busy CBD and tied one end of a rope on the pole before tying the other end on his neck as he screamed, “Mimi ni Yesu, nakuja nyumbani (I am Jesus, I am coming home).”

This attracted the attention of several passersby who tried to convince the man to climb down and abort his suicide attempt.

Their pleas fell on deaf ears as the man went on to dangle onto the traffic light pole as he pushed himself further away before momentarily hanging on his two hands before letting go. However, the rope snapped and he dropped to the ground.

The horrified crowd watched in disbelief as traffic police rushed to his aid but the unscathed man got up almost immediately and fought them off as he continued screaming, “Mimi ni Yesu (I am Jesus).”