Murang'a MP launches 10km run for mental health

Almost two years after the onset of Covid-19, many Kenyans continue to grapple with the effects  that have left lives in disarray.

With many losing their sources of livelihood and loved ones, cases of mental illnesses have continued to soar.

Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege has now started a campaign to create awareness about mental health.

The MP runs 10km every Saturday accompanied by her supporters in different parts of the county.

“Many believe mental sickness only happens when one starts walking in the streets collecting trash but many are suffering in silence,” she said.

Her run, she said, is providing an opportunity to anybody needing mental help to be facilitated to access it in partnership with the county government.

She said the most heartbreaking case she has encountered is of a youth from Kandara who was a top performer in KCSE three years ago.

The man dropped out of university in his second year after developing mental illnesses and started loitering the streets of Thika town in Kiambu.

“When we met the family, we took him to the hospital . We will connect him to a psychologist to rehabilitate him and help him to resume education. We’d have lost that young man simply because of an illness,” Chege said.

In Muguru ward, Kangema subcounty, about 10 people have died by suicide in the last two months.

MCA Ibrahim Ngundo said residents have been attending numerous burials of people who have been taking their lives.

The trend, Ngundo said, has been concerning as victims are mostly men of the productive age.

His sentiments were echoed by Nephat Mwangi, who said majority of the victims are not people who are deemed to be struggling financially.

“Kangema is known for its wealthy people that include Equity Bank founder Peter Munga but even the ones that are not as rich have sufficient money for their survival. The level of poverty here is not as high,” he said.

Mwangi said most of the suicides are thought to be as a result of domestic squabbles and appealed to men to explore dialogue when they find themselves in difficult situations.

Lucy Njoroge, also a resident, underscored the need for women to engage men in dialogue to relieve them of the psychological stresses they harbour.

“As a man, if you are experiencing struggles, go out there and talk to your peers. Learn from women, they are able to control their emotions because they vent to their friends,” she said.

“The ego of feeling like you cannot open up to someone about your problems is the reason many men get overwhelmed,” she added.  

In Kahuro subcounty, an assistant chief committed suicide in his office on November 22 and his body found dangling from the rooftop by residents.

Patrick Macharia is said to have left his home early that morning only to be found dead in his office. His office door had been left partially open. It is said the administrator had sunk into alcoholism and was experiencing domestic wrangles.

Numerous pastors have also expressed their distress with the constant burials that they have been forced to conduct in the pandemic.

Reverend Bernard Mwangi from Ndutumi ACK church told The Star that the Covid-19 pandemic has immensely affected the clergy, they spent most of their time conducting burials and tending to the mourning families or those in hospitals.

Mwangi urged the church to establish structures that support the clergy to help them serve faithfuls efficiently.

According to Juliah Wambui, a clinical psychologist at Murang’a Level 5 hospital, the pandemic has increased the mental health burden countrywide.

Despite losing their sources of income, Wambui said many have experienced consecutive deaths caused by the pandemic that can lead to compounded grief and cause depression, complex grief, post-traumatic stress and anxiety disorders.

Wambui said before the pandemic, she would handle between 70 to 100 patients in a month but the number has now doubled.

She urged Kenyans to normalise seeking professional mental help when faced with such situations.

Chege also urged people to reach out for help instead of hurting oneself or others saying that more are coming out when the campaign is taken to the grassroots.

The legislator, who is also the chairperson of the Health Committee in the National Assembly said NHIF is being reformed to ensure most health services are covered.

“We realised most people think that the only public facility offering mental help is Mathari and we are working on a bill that will ensure every Level 5 hospital has a ward for mental patients so that they are treated at a subsidised cost,” she added.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)