A new bill which is currently before Parliament hopes to align Kenya’s legal framework with the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The Persons with Disabilities Bill 2024 which will repeal the Persons with Disabilities Act 2003 is currently in its third reading and intends to entrench rights of persons with disabilities and ensure they are held with dignity in both public and private places.
Speaking during celebrations to mark this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Othaya, National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPD) Director Joseph Lerina underscored the critical role of the proposed legislation which he said will greatly boost the welfare of the affected persons.
Lerina who led the County in commemorating whose theme was: Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities, said it was time the society accorded persons with disabilities dignity and decorum in all spheres of life.
“When the Bill will be passed, many deserving persons with disability will access cash transfer funds which will be a milestone. It should be a must that we give those who have disability since they are vulnerable and deserving. The bill also proposes the use of dignified words when addressing those with disability.” he said.
Among other provisions included in the bill is the requirement for the use of dignified language when registering and certifying people with disabilities and ensuring such people are adequately represented in government so that their interests and needs are taken into account.
Lerina similarly said the council had taken advantage of the e-Citizen platform to ease the registration of new beneficiaries.
In addition, those receiving government money through the Government cash transfer services are now getting their monthly stipends directly from their mobile phones.
He said the Government has also developed a Persons with Disability National Policy document that will among others ensure that infants and children with disabilities have access to medical care, enhance maternal and childcare for early identification of congenital conditions.
“This time we have achieved the right registration through e-Citizen and have conformed to Kenya’s directive of using this online platform. We are actually giving our customers services at the comfort of their homes. They register at the grassroots level with a mobile phone through e-citizen and then it will be approved and you get an e-citizen certificate with authentication features to avoid forgery.” he explained.
County National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) Service Officer Ken Kabene said while the true figures of the number of persons with disability residing in the county remains unclear, rough figures put the number at 80,000.
He said the yearly celebrations always present an ideal opportunity where residents are sensitized about available policies and programs the Government geared towards assisting those affected by various forms of disability.
“This forum brings together persons with disability to come and mark the achievements as a county and also help identify the gaps that are there and get the crucial feedback for our clients. Around here Othaya Level 4 hospital is one of the health facilities doing assessment for persons with disability so that will help us get the data of people with disabilities. We don’t have accurate data of persons with disabilities but we go with what the World Health Organization says that 10 percent of our population are persons with disabilities.” said Kabene.
In May this year the Government began conducting a nationwide mapping program for persons living with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and Related Developmental Disabilities (RDD).
The two-week program’s aim was to help generate a data bank that would enable the State to set out modalities on how such persons can access drugs, diapers and critical assistive devices at no cost.
Kabene said the government decided to undertake the registration process after it emerged that hundreds of ASD and RDD patients lacked access to essential drugs and critical therapeutic services.
“The Government has realized the seriousness of the high cost of sustaining these clients in our community. If you interact with them, you will realize that most of them require special support Some of them are permanently on drugs which are expensive and are not covered on any medical cover,” he said during a visit to the Metropolitan Children Sanctuary which has been earmarked as one of the facilities that will be offering therapy services to some of those who will be enlisted as beneficiaries.
“Most of these (clients) require assistive devices such as walking frames, wheel chairs which are all very expensive. In Nyeri we are registering these people, mapping them and placing them in institutions. We are working with County hospitals and also faith-based organizations like the Metropolitan Children Sanctuary which is also a rehabilitation centre,” he explained.
By Samuel Maina
