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"speaker_name": "Prof. Oniang'o",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to support this Motion. I would like to congratulate my colleague, the hon. Wamunyinyi, for bringing this Motion which is long overdue. It is really surprising that having been independent for this long and having had a school of medicine since then, we do not even have this speciality in our universities. We will recall the latest incident where the Kenya Airways aircraft 507 crashed in Cameroon. When the news of the crash came out and relatives wanted to know what was going on, immediately, we were told that psychologists and psychiatrists were available to be able to counsel them. We continue to see the same faces of psychologists and psychiatrists, because they are few in number. I in 1998, during the bomb blast, I was also hurt. I went through psychological trauma, because whenever I heard the name of the late Rose and that they were trying to reach her, I kept asking myself: \"Why have I survived.\" I realised then that it is so critical to have psychologists and counsellors around who know their job, especially in times of tragedy. We do not need them only in times of tragedy, but also when dealing with issues of crime. When children commit crime one wonders how they have been brought up. We also have the issue of street children. If you look at them and see the conditions under which they are living, you wonder what kind of adults they are going to be in the future. Likewise, if you trace the lives of some of the hardcore criminals, you can explain why they engage in acts of crime. I think we owe it to them, as a society and caring people and Government, to make sure that we have the right professionals around, to address this issue. Like a colleague said, we have too many quacks going round. Some Kenyans think that this service is offered for free. But, in fact, it is one of the most expensive services, where it has been institutionalised and professionalised. I am sure that many Kenyans, especially, young people could actually find a profession in this particular area. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are many incidents of domestic violence. Recently, we read in the press about a man who cut of his private parts, yet, he does not drink alcohol. There had been no quarrel in the family, as far as we know. We need to explain some of these very bad incidents of domestic violence and other incidents which we have never heard of before, in fact, which we call \"un-African.\" I hope that we will begin to address such incidents. Every form of human behaviour can be addressed and explained psychologically. There are different forms of psychology. My colleague has just talked about political psychology, for example. There is also social, clinical, child psychology, and many other types of psychology. Our police and armed forces also need this kind of training. Virtually, parents, teachers and anybody who deals with people need to understand the various forms of behaviour, so that we can address them properly. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also need psychological skills when it comes to handling talented students, but who are socially delinquent. Some of the delinquency that we see in children is because they are so bright that they cannot sit in the formal classroom environment. They cannot socialise properly with their colleagues. We are aware that some of the very talented children actually need to go through psychological counselling. As a nation which wants to go into talent search, we actually need this kind of training, so that it is done properly. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, unfortunately, as a nation, we have many brilliant students, some of whom may achieve Mean-grade A, who end up in other countries for training. We have read in the press of students who get good grades and they are taken for training in foreign countries. We know very well that they will not come back to this country, to help mould and develop it. So, my view is that we should be able, as a nation, to identify such young people, and 1200 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES May 9, 2007 then mould, nurture and support them, knowing that they will come back to the country and help develop it. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we require psychologists even in career selection to help young people to choose careers. This is because many of our young people come from homes where parents may not be educated. Therefore, they just imagine what it is that they could do in life and as a result, they end up choosing the wrong careers. If we want to really put people in proper professions, we need psychologists in schools and colleges. We also need career counselling centres where psychologists can actually help in this particular area. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the way we behave and whatever we do, as adults, can only be explained psychologically, but only by people who have been professionally trained, and not traditional doctors who undertake palm reading. Once again, I congratulate my colleague for bringing this Motion. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}