Nominated Senator Crystal Asige has assured parents and caregivers of children with disabilities of tax relief once the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Bill, 2023, that she has sponsored is passed by the Senate and assented into law.
Speaking at Makupa Primary School in Mvita Sub-County during the handing over of cooking items worth Sh120,000 to parents with disabled children, Senator Asige said enacting the bill will be a big relief to suffering parents.
The Senator, through her empowerment programme dubbed Ability Programme, aims to empower parents of children with disabilities. Every month, the Senator will be visiting all six wards in Mombasa.
“This is just the first one; it won’t be the last. We want to inform parents that they are not forsaken and they can do small businesses through cooking items to support their children,” Senator Asige said.
As a disabled Senator, Asige added that she recognised the efforts that parents and caregivers of children with disabilities put into feeding and education; hence, it is important to support them. She thanked her parents for supporting her to reach the high echelons of leadership.
“I have written in the PWD bill that parents and caregivers should be allowed to get income tax relief of up to Sh150,000,” she said, adding, that caregivers of children are usually forgotten.
“As PWDs, we have tax exemption, but we have never looked at parents who take care of children with special needs.”
She lamented that Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD) still face accessibility challenges when accessing buildings. The Senator, in partnership with the Mombasa County Disability Leaders Forum, has petitioned the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) to assess buildings in Mombasa.
“The CEO of NGEC came with his team to Mombasa. He realised that there is a big problem with accessibility, especially in government buildings. They will work closely with us in ensuring the buildings are renovated for PLWDs to access them,” said Senator Arige.
The nominated Senator has also drafted the Kenya Sign Language Bill. Once the bill is passed in the Senate and the President assents it into law, she said, it will ensure sign language is incorporated into the country’s education curriculum.
The senator is also pushing the Ministry of Health to augment her efforts in sensitising families on how to take care of children born with disabilities.
Christine Mungai, a mother with a child with severe cerebral palsy, thanked the Senator for the project that will enable her to earn a living.
“I appeal to parents with disabled children not to hide them. They are not a curse. They will get assistance once we bring them out; let’s not discriminate against them,” said Mungai.
Abdalla Shaaban, a father with a mentally challenged son, urged the government to sensitise parents with disabled children not to hide them. “The community should be sensitised not to discriminate against PLWDs,” he said.
By Sadik Hassan
