Chiefs, assistant chiefs and village headmen in South Imenti have undergone mental health awareness training amid rising cases of sexual and Gender Based violence (SGBV), defilement and mental health challenges in Meru County.
The five-day sensitisation programme, organised by Meru Woman Rep aspirant Sarah Kilemi, Imenti South MP Aspirant Wakili Mukaria and Imenti South DCC Mary Mwangi brought together local administrators from different parts of the sub-county to equip them with skills on handling mental health and trauma-related cases in communities.
Speaking during the training, Abogeta West Assistant Deputy County Commissioner Robert Mosee on behalf of DCC Mwangi, he described mental health as a growing crisis that requires openness and timely medical intervention.
“Mental health is a pandemic that members of the public should openly discuss in order to get the best medical attention. Many people think the problems they are facing are unique to them, yet others have gone through similar situations and emerged successfully,” said Mosee.
Dr Kilemi said chiefs and village administrators are often the first responders to crises affecting residents and therefore need training to manage both community cases and secondary trauma arising from their work.
“It is important that we realize administrators are human beings. They handle difficult cases daily and must be prepared to deal with the challenges they encounter while serving the community,” she said.
Mukaria said the training would strengthen community response mechanisms and improve referrals for residents struggling with mental health conditions.
Mosee noted that increasing economic and social pressures were contributing to the rise in mental health challenges across communities.
“If left unattended for a long period, mental health issues can have devastating effects. It is important that people learn how to navigate through such challenges and seek help,” he added.
Recent studies indicate that mental health remains a major concern in Meru.
A study by Amref Health Africa found that 39 percent of community members surveyed reported having a family member with a mental health condition, while only 29.4 percent of health facilities had counselling services available for patients with mental health needs.
According to Meru County’s 2026/2027 Annual Development Plan, the county is targeting an increase in mental health awareness from 50 percent to 80 percent and plans to raise the proportion of mental health cases identified and initiated on treatment from 63 percent to 75 percent.
Senior Assistant Chief P. Mutua welcomed the program, saying administrators continue to record increasing cases of rape, defilement, child neglect and domestic violence.
“This is a great step towards building a healthy society. We receive reports of defilement, rape, neglected children and frequent SGBV cases within families almost every day. These are indicators that mental health issues are affecting our people,” said Mutua.
His concerns come as Meru continues to record high levels of gender-based violence.
A recent county report presented during public participation on GBV showed that 336 GBV cases, including six femicides, were reported between January 2024 and May 2025, with Imenti South among the most affected areas.
Experts have linked the increasing burden of SGBV in the county to growing psychological distress among survivors, warning that failure to address mental health needs could deepen the crisis.
Research conducted in Meru found reported GBV cases rose from 520 in 2022 to 1,468 in 2023, prompting calls for expanded counselling and psychotherapy services for survivors.
Edited by John Majau
