Piece by: ZENNA ISSA

23 October 2023

•One in four Kenytans and most of them are men, what can be the problem with our men? Is it that they don't have someone to talk to?

During Today's Morning conversation on Classic 105, Maina had an exciting conversation revolving around depression.

The question of the day was 'Why don't men open up? is it that they don't have anyone to talk to or what is wrong?

The morning conversation was inspired by a report in the dailies that revealed one in four Kenyans are depressed and most of them were men.

Maina wanted to understand what was happening to the guys and why they didn't just open up about their problems.

"Why don't Kenyan men have a reliable support system?"

Men were quick to share their reasons why they couldn't share their problems with other people some of their responses were quite shocking.

This is what the callers had to say regarding the question of the day.

The first caller said;

"As a man, no one is coming to save you so you might as well save yourself. Kauka na shida zako. Zikikulemea hangaika ukufe. As a man if you can't solve your problems kufa nazo"

The next caller said;

"It should change from 1 in 4 men to 3 in 4 men have depression. Ukiamua kuopen up uambie mtu haezi kukusaidia pia yeye akona shida zake. Utaanzaje kuambia mtu shida zakoo na yeye mwenyewe akona shida mingi kukushinda. Vile maisha inasonga watu wengi wakona shida ni vizuri ukufe na shida zako tu, ukiongea hautasaidika."

Another said;

"Mimi nilienda nikaambia pastor shida zangu za ndoa akanifukuza kwa kanisa anasema nimeshindwa kumanage marriage. Hivyo ndio niliacha kuenda kanmmisa siezi open up alafu nifukuzwe."

The next said;

"Kwa hii uchumi unaenda ulilie mtu mafuta imepanda yeye anakuambia anadaiwa rent elfu mbili, unaenda kuopen up kwa mtu unapata akona shida mingi kukushinda ni vizuri kila mtu akufe na shida zake tu."

Another addded;

"In 2009 I learnt what to share and what not to share. The lady I was dating went and told everyone that mimi nilimpea HIV. msichana alikuwa na HIV before nimjue na akaamua mimi ni carrer. Alisema nilimpea na sikuwa na HIV. Tulienda health centers mingi kupimwa na kila time inaonyesha sina. I opened up to my friends and they used to judge me behind my back. Kuna a cameroon lady alikuwa ameniona kwa hiyo health center sana akaniita kando akanicouncel she told me kama sina na hizo time zote nimepimwa siezi kuwa nayo nikikuja there's nothing like a HIV carrer. From that day nilijua what to share and what not to."

The last caller said;

"Kushare na mtu shida zako ni kama kuenda kureport bibi amekupiga. Ukienda kew amtu unamwmabia shida zako yeye ndio anakuambisha zaidi. Unaambia mtu ukona shida ndio anakuongezea shida zaidi. mwanaume ukikuwa na shida, kufa na shida zako kenye watafanya si ni kukuzika tu usijjharibu kushare shida zako hawatakusaidia. Watakuja wakunyanganye kila kitu kwa sabau ukona shida usionge kufa na shida yako."

The morning conversation left Maina traumatized by the responses he got from the callers and tweets on social media.