Kiambu County Woman Representative Ann Wamuratha has raised concern over the growing mental health crisis in Kiambu County, revealing that the county continues to record alarming cases of suicide and murder, particularly among men.
Speaking at her office in Kirigiti, Kiambu Town, during the issuance of scholarship cheques to needy students and empowerment grants to community groups, Wamuratha said the county was facing a serious mental health challenge that requires urgent intervention from both leaders and society.
The Woman Representative made the remarks during an event organized under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), where her office disbursed millions of shillings in scholarships and empowerment grants targeting vulnerable students, women, youth groups, and boda boda operators.
Wamuratha said her office had released scholarship cheques worth KSh4 million to support 105 students drawn from all the 12 constituencies in Kiambu County. The beneficiaries include learners in both secondary schools and universities who are on full scholarship programs under the NGAAF initiative.
“We were disbursing cheques that have been pending in schools for students under our full scholarship program. We have paid school fees to the tune of KSh4 million supporting 105 students from vulnerable families across Kiambu,” she said.
She explained that the scholarships target bright but needy learners who would otherwise miss opportunities to continue with their education due to financial challenges.
According to the Woman Representative, each constituency benefits from the program through the selection of one or two vulnerable children who receive full educational support.
She noted that while her office also issues bursaries, the current disbursement focused specifically on students under the full scholarship initiative.
At the same time, Wamuratha announced that her office had issued empowerment grants to 10 community groups in Kiambu Constituency under the NGAAF kitty. The grants benefited eight women groups and two youth groups, including a boda boda association.
The groups collectively received KSh1.1 million in grants meant to support startup projects and economic empowerment activities.
“This is not refundable money. It is empowerment funding meant to help these groups improve their livelihoods and grow economically,” she stated.
The legislator encouraged beneficiaries to use the funds prudently to uplift their families and communities.
Wamuratha also challenged students benefiting from the scholarship program to improve their academic performance, saying the government investment must translate into positive results.
“My kitty is very small, so we want to ensure that the child who would never have gotten an opportunity in life gets that chance. That is why we are encouraging these students to perform well,” she said.
She added that some students who had initially recorded poor results had shown improvement after receiving guidance and encouragement from her office.
“We are not frustrating them, but we are reminding them that if they are getting full scholarships, they must also work hard and give us results. We want them to succeed and achieve their destinies,” she said.
However, it was her remarks on mental health that dominated the event, with the Woman Representative expressing concern over the increasing number of suicide cases in Kiambu County.
Wamuratha cited reports from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), saying Kiambu continues to lead in cases of murder and suicide nationally.
She revealed that the county had recently lost two senior clergy members from major churches through suicide, a situation she described as heartbreaking and alarming.
“It is very unfortunate that according to the DCI, Kiambu is still leading in issues of murder and suicide. We have recently lost senior clergy from both the Anglican and Presbyterian churches,” she said.
The legislator attributed the crisis partly to the tendency by men to suffer silently without seeking help.
“Women are able to speak about their issues and heal faster, but many men keep their problems to themselves and end up seeing suicide as an easy solution,” she said.
Wamuratha said her office had already employed a mental health expert to help residents access counseling and psychosocial support services.
She announced plans to roll out a countywide mental health awareness program next month targeting churches, local administrators, police officers, chiefs, and other frontline workers.
The Woman Representative noted that police officers, chiefs, and National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) who regularly respond to suicide and murder incidents also require psychological support.
“Our chiefs, police officers, pastors, and administrators are constantly exposed to traumatic situations, including collecting bodies. These people also need counseling and debriefing,” she said.
She further urged religious leaders to openly address mental health challenges within churches and communities.
“As much as we speak about heaven, we also need to give people hope while they are still living. People need encouragement and reassurance that tomorrow can be better than today,” she stated.
Wamuratha also called on men in Kiambu to organize themselves into registered groups to benefit from government empowerment programs and reduce economic stress, which she linked to the rising mental health crisis.
She encouraged men to register community-based organizations (CBOs), apply for government support funds, and actively seek empowerment opportunities.
“We have empowered many women groups, and the few organized men groups we have supported have also changed their lives positively. Men should come together, organize themselves, and apply for these opportunities,” she said.
The legislator emphasized that unlike loans, the NGAAF support issued through her office is purely grant-based and does not require repayment.
