Experts are calling on the Kenyan government to appoint full-time professional counsellors in all political offices nationwide to help leaders cope with escalating mental health challenges driven by stress, anxiety, and public pressure.
Speaking during a mental wellness talk show organized by the Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA) Embu chapter in partnership with Kimuri Radio, senior psychologists warned that political leaders—including the president, governors, MPs, and MCAs—are operating in increasingly high-pressure environments without adequate psychological support.
“We need mentally stable, emotionally intelligent leaders to foster peace, unity, and sound governance. Right now, there are no formal structures offering professional counselling to our political leaders, and that gap poses a serious risk to national cohesion,” said Professor Wanjiru Mugai, a senior counsellor and mental health advocate.
Counsellors cautioned that without professional mental health support, leaders may succumb to burnout, emotional instability, or reactive decision-making—including acts of revenge or aggression—that can destabilize political institutions and communities.
Fr. Joseph Isaiah Njiru, Chairman of KCPA Embu and Principal of St. Augustine Teachers Training College–Ishiara, emphasized the urgency of institutionalizing psychological services across public offices.
“It is time the government made professional counselling a permanent feature in political and public institutions, just like legal and financial advisors,” Fr. Njiru said. “Sober leadership cannot be achieved without mental wellness.”
The counsellors also called for the appointment of full-time guidance counsellors in schools, noting that many currently serve double roles as teachers, limiting their ability to address students’ psychological needs effectively.
Beyond leadership, the experts raised concern over the rising mental health burden among the general population, particularly young men, the unemployed, and those in informal sectors.
During a recent suicide awareness event in Kanja, Runyenjes Constituency, 800 widows revealed their husbands had died by suicide within the last two years—many of them middle-aged men working in the bodaboda sector.
“This is not just a crisis—it’s a national emergency,” said Prof. Mugai. “We are seeing a surge in suicide cases, especially among educated and economically strained men. Without urgent intervention, our health systems will be overwhelmed in five years.”
To tackle the crisis, the KCPA Embu chapter has launched a series of grassroots initiatives, including community mental health talks, awareness walks, and the formation of apolitical elders’ groups to mentor youth on emotional resilience, education, and economic empowerment.
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Counsellor Margret Nyaga stressed the importance of self-awareness and family balance, urging couples to communicate openly and share responsibilities to ease domestic pressures.
Cristabel Gicuku, another counsellor, encouraged individuals—especially youth—to avoid peer pressure, embrace self-acceptance, and set realistic personal goals.
The team also called for a revival of traditional community support systems where women mentor girls and men guide boys—frameworks they say once helped build strong, emotionally resilient societies.
The experts warned that failure to address mental health—especially the psychological toll of corruption, political stress, and economic hardship—could lead to a dramatic rise in mental illness, with widespread consequences for governance, productivity, and public safety.
As Kenya marks Mental Wellness Month, KCPA Embu continues to advocate for mental health to be treated not as a private issue but as a public priority—starting with those at the top.
“We must start with the experts,” said Prof. Mugai. “Only professional, full-time counsellors can deliver the consistent, confidential support our leaders—and our country—desperately need.”
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