The county government of Samburu will count people living with disabilities so that it can have accurate data to help in planning.
Gender, Youth, Social Services and Sports executive Irene Leseeto after the counting, the needs of the people with disabilities will be assessed. She said there will be programmes to benefit them, as well as women and children.
“We want to have a database so that we can know the exact number of people living with disabilities. We will ensure that they are catered for while implementing programmes,” she said.
The plan has been supported by people living with disabilities in the county.
“We expect that people living with disabilities would be registered so that it can be known where they are because disability is perceived as poverty and a curse in our community,” Raisy Letiwa, a member of People living with disabilities board said.
They spoke outside the Samburu county assembly chambers in Maralal town during a function where blankets and solar lamps were distributed to 320 people living with disabilities.
Speaker Solomon Lempere said only the most vulnerable people are being targeted across the county.
“We have selected the most 24 vulnerable in every ward of county, this is just a beginning, we will continue to work together in ensuring we have helped the needy in our society,” he said.
The area deputy governor Julius Leseeto said the new law has enable county government to set aside resources that would be used to finance programs to improve lives of people living with disabilities in the county.“We have set aside Sh5m for people living with disabilities and we will continue increasing the allocation every year,” he said.
Mr Aden Dube, a MCA representing people with disabilities in the assembly urged disabled people to form groups and write proposals in order to benefit from government resources.
