Mwaura to lawmakers: Expedite passing of PWDs welfare bill

@Alicewangechi

Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has asked members of the National Assembly to expedite the passing of a bill seeking to better  the welfare of those living with disabilities.

Mwaura said bringing up children with disabilities is too costly and pledged to lobby for the bill to be passed to make life easier for people with disabilities.

The Persons With Disabilities Bill 2023 seeks to ensure every person with disability is entitled to specific measures that accelerate equal participation in the social, cultural, economic, civil and political fields.

It will also ensure no person is excluded from the education system on the basis of disability and ensure all educational institutions are adjusted to the needs of persons with disabilities.

Further, it will include people suffering from autism in the exemption of taxes for disabled persons as a way of empowering them.

“Parents with children with special needs are over burdened by their needs and require as much support as possible,” he said, noting that the bill will also shield parents of disabled children from income tax.

Mwaura spoke at Muriranjas hospital during the commissioning of a modern physiotherapy unit established by the county government in partnership with several non-governmental organisations.

The centre will be the second modern unit to be commissioned by the county after Kirwara unit and brings the number of physiotherapy centres available in the county to four including Murang’a and Maragua.

Assistive devices worth over Sh1 million were also distributed to over 500 persons with disabilities.

“This bill has overstayed in the National Assembly and I will personally lobby because I am in government to represent all persons with disabilities.”

He further announced that the state has allocated Sh100 million towards supporting parents with children with special needs with some basic needs, including diapers for those with developmental disabilities.

Governor Irungu Kang’ata expressed concerns over the high number of people with disabilities in the county but noted that his administration will continue supporting them.

He said therapy centres will be established in every constituency to make them easily accessible and pledged to continue issuing assistive devices to disabled persons every year.

“We also plan to ensure assessments of those with disabilities are taken to villages so that they don’t have to travel long distances,” he added.

Ahadi Trust Kenya director Stanley Kamau said his organisation will continue to support those with disabilities in the county.

Kamau who donated some assistive devices, challenged the government to consider expanding the cash transfer programme in order to benefit more people such as those with autism.

Kamau said parents with disabled children undergo many struggles as they take care of them and are unable to seek employment as they are too committed.