Minister Sankwasa promotes traditional marital advice over professionals

Clinical psychologists have raised concerns over minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa’s recent criticism of married couples seeking help from social workers over traditional routes.

Sankwasa made these remarks during the official designation of Hompa Kudumo as the new Ukwangali chief at Kahenge in the Kavango West region on Saturday.

He said social workers’ advice is often not practical.

“Today, people are running to the modern courts to discuss their marriage problems, and they come back with the same problem, because they are going before a social worker who is not even married himself,” Sakwasa said.

However, clinical psychologist Elise Mberira says a professional does not need to be married to be able to provide marital advice, as their expertise is based on training and scientific methods rather than personal experience.

“Doctors don’t have to have cancer to treat cancer. In the same way, psychologists don’t have to be married to help people with marital problems,” she says.

Mberira says while conversations with family members, elders, or pastors may be valuable, such support is limited due to their lack of understanding of human behaviour.

“Professionals have studied extensively, and there is methodology and reasoning behind what they do,” she says.

She does not disregard turning to family and community leaders for help though.

“I don’t think psychologists are the only people capable of helping people when they are dealing with difficult. I don’t think in those rigid ways. But other people have limitations in terms of their understanding of human behaviour. So where there is that kind of limitation, it makes sense to reach out to professionals,” Mberira says.

Windhoek-based clinical psychologist Shaun Whittaker shares similar sentiments, saying he understands the minister’s emphasis on culture, but finds it unfair to discourage people from consulting professionals.

“I have no problem if people value their own culture and seek advice from elders, friends, or family first. That is what most people do,” he says.

“But as psychologists, we come from a scientific framework, and we are trained to be objective and professional when helping people. That is a different level of intervention, and people should have the right to choose whether to seek help from a professional or from within their families,” Whittaker says.

He says while cultural support remains valuable, professional counselling offers structured methods and objectivity that informal advice cannot always provide.

Sankwasa argued that traditional systems of conflict resolution that were led by uncles, grandmothers and elders in the community offered better guidance than trained experts.

“Our best social workers in dispute resolution were our grandfathers, uncles and grandmothers – not graduates from the University of Namibia,” he said on Saturday.

The minister also slammed the influence of Western values on African traditions, describing it as a challenge that must be interrogated seriously.

“Our duty is to preserve what has been preserved by our forefathers, including the way they resolved disputes in the community and in marriage. We should not outright reject this because we want to please the next generation or a sector that is foreign to us,” Sankwasa said.

He further called on Namibians to embrace their cultural values and customs, and to draw on traditional wisdom in addressing social challenges.

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