People with disabilities in Mombasa have warned politicians against using violence to scare women from participating in the August election.
They have called for peaceful campaigns, saying PWDs and women should be given a fair chance to participate in polls.
Hamisa Zaja, who is vying for the Mombasa woman representative seat on the United Green Movement party ticket, urged the youth to shun political intolerance.
“As a person living with a disability, I understand the challenges we go through every day, especially for women. Do not use violence to scare us,” she said.
“We need a peaceful environment to fully participate in the elections like other Kenyans.”
Zaja, who previously won an international award for peace and security, said during political violence women, children and PWDs suffer the most.
“Remember there is life after elections. We will continue being friends, neighbours, and relatives. Life has to move on,” she said.
Zaja asked the Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to be on the lookout for police officers who might be misused by politicians to scare away opponents or disrupt opponents’ meetings and rallies.
She said every politician must be given an equal and fair chance to sell his or her agenda to the people.
“Give each leader space and opportunity to campaign peacefully, there is nothing like this is someone’s stronghold. The people are going to vote based on the leader’s ability to deliver,” Zaja said.
She said her agenda was about strengthening public-private partnerships in the county, saying the kitty allocated to the county woman representative is not enough to address the challenges in Mombasa.
Zaja promised to push and legislate policies that will ensure the community is well taken care of.
She is among 14 women who want to replace Woman Representative Asha Hussein, popularly known as Ashu.
Asha will not defend her seat after losing in the ODM primaries to Zamzam Mohammed.
On Wednesday afternoon, Zaja was cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
