Prof. Catherine Gachutha to Lead National Mental Health Walk for Wellness
By John Kariuki
Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA) will host its National Mental Health Walk on September 12, 2025, across ten counties, as part of International Suicide Prevention Week. The event, themed “Walk for Wellness”, seeks to raise awareness, encourage health-seeking behavior, and improve access to treatment for mental health challenges that affect thousands of Kenyans every year the former Kanduyi MP wafula wamnyinyi is the one who sponsored the bill of professional counselors.
The guest of honour Hon Wafula Wamunyinyi will flag off the National Mental Health Walk at Agip Plaza at 8.00am. Flagging off of other County walks will happen after the National flagging off takes place.
The walk will be spearheaded by Prof. Catherine Gachutha, the National Chair of KCPA, a counselling psychologist and Director of the Kenya Institute of Business and Counselling Studies. Prof. Gachutha has emerged as one of the country’s strongest voices on mental health, steadily pushing for national programs that address stigma, build resilience, and make treatment more accessible. Her leadership has been instrumental in positioning KCPA as a driver of both policy influence and community outreach.
More than 5,000 participants are expected to join the walk in simultaneous events across ten counties. Each county will map a 5-kilometer route with stopovers where trained mental health professionals will engage the public through talks, distribute resource materials, and share survivor testimonies. Awareness items will also be branded to amplify the message of wellness and hope.
Prof. Gachutha explained that the walk is a direct call to action for Kenyans to unite around mental health. It supports the goals of the Kenya Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021–2026, which seeks to cut suicide-related deaths by 10 percent by 2026. The initiative also ties into the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 on good health and well-being.
The Association expressed its deep gratitude to the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, which contributed KSh 500,000 towards the success of the walk. Special mention was made of Dr. Gideon Muriuki, Group Managing Director and CEO of Co-operative Bank, hailed as a great champion of mental health. His leadership and vision have seen the bank step forward not only as a financial partner but also as a socially conscious institution dedicated to improving lives. This generous sponsorship is a clear testament to the bank’s unwavering commitment to supporting mental wellness for populations across the republic.
KCPA also acknowledged the valuable financial support from UNICAF, whose contribution will further strengthen the event’s impact and outreach.
With Prof. Gachutha’s leadership and the backing of partners such as Co-operative Bank and UNICAF, the National Mental Health Walk is set to be a defining moment in Kenya’s journey toward mental wellness, proving that when institutions and communities work together, healing and resilience become possible.
