Presiding head of Halleluyah Church Bishop Zablon Malema in EldoretChurch leaders in Eldoret have raised concern over rising cases of mental illness among men, saying the crisis is contributing to suicide, gender-based violence, and broken families.
The presiding head of Halleluyah Church, Bishop Zablon Malema, called for concerted efforts to tackle mental health challenges among men, which he noted have destabilised numerous households.
Bishop Malema spoke as more than 500 men, including church leaders from Nairobi, Nyanza, Western and North Rift regions, converged at the Halleluyah Church headquarters in Eldoret City for a men’s conference focused on mental health.
The church brought in experts who urged men experiencing mental health difficulties to break their silence and share their burdens as a vital step towards recovery.
Malema said the conference—organised by Halleluyah Church in partnership with Shiloh Training College—sought to address the escalating but frequently overlooked mental health crisis among men.
He spoke when he officially opened the forum.
The cleric said mental health challenges manifest uniquely in men, often leading to unacknowledged suffering and a rise in suicide, femicide and marital breakdown.
“Many men are dying in silence because of mental health issues, which is why we felt the urgent need to come out strongly and discuss this matter," Malema said.
"Those overwhelmed by the pressure of being sole providers and protectors refrain from speaking out for fear of societal judgment and traditional norms that label them weak if they fail to provide or open up about their struggles.”
“I recall visiting a village in Western Kenya where I was alarmed to realise that a large number of elderly men had died, leaving behind many widows."
"In other parts of the country, I noticed many young women in their 30s and 40s who are already widowed. This confirmed that something is gravely wrong—we are losing men at an early age,” he added.
Bishop Malema said the conference theme, 'Bring man back to his position', aimed to critically examine men’s mental health struggles and identify solutions to help men stay safe, resilient and equipped to fulfil their societal roles.
He said the church had previously engaged young people, having hosted a separate national conference that brought together at least 300 youths to discuss mental health.
One of the facilitators, Dr Francis Osoro, emphasised that mental health challenges affect even the clergy, urging men to seek professional counselling rather than assuming their struggles are insurmountable.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Pastor Justus Kiprono acknowledged that many men in churches suffer in silence due to a lack of trusted confidants.
He said open dialogue and shared experiences could help reduce deaths linked to depression and stress, promising that delegates would cascade the insights gained to their respective congregations.
