People living with disabilities (PWDs) in Uasin Gishu County have a reason to smile after the devolved unit recognized their abilities and offered some of them jobs.
The regional representative for Persons Living with Disability, Titus Yego at the same time lauded the county government for ensuring 34 various positions were reserved and given to the disabled.
Yego said the recruits reported to their various work stations on Tuesday after receiving appointment letters from the county governor, Jackson Mandago last week.
Yego said those who benefited from the initiative were PWDs who have been registered and issued with a disability card. “We are humbly asking families with relatives living with disability to bring them forward so that they too can benefit,” he advised.
Yego further said the national council for persons with disability was also lobbying the national government to offer more job opportunities to PWDs who are dully qualified.
“We have so many learned disabled people who have the ability to serve in any position in government and we are asking the national and county governments to consider them for positions in government,”
He said the county government had not only focused on formal employment in its efforts towards disability mainstreaming but had also embraced various initiatives to empower the physically challenged adding: “Ten kiosks in West stage have been given out to the disabled and a place has been set aside at Kimumu Market to be allocated to persons with disability to operate business from.”
In an interview with KNA in Eldoret on Wednesday, Yego also revealed that the county government had embarked on an initiative to register PWDs with NHIF so that they could access free medical care in local public hospitals.
“Currently, we are working with the county government to identify two hospitals in Eldoret town which will offer free treatment to persons with disability,” he said.
Meanwhile, governor Mandago has advised persons living with disabilities to form groups in order to benefit more from government funds.
The governor cited loans offered by his government as among opportunities that PWDs could capitalize on.
“If you form groups and apply for loans, legislators representing you can propose lenient loan terms tailored for you through the representatives in the County Assembly,” said Mandago.
He made the proposal in his office while meeting officials from the Association of Persons Living with Disability-Uasin Gishu branch.
“MCAs representing you at the Assembly can come up and pass motions that can impose zero interest on loans credited to you,” the Governor said.
By Kiptanui Cherono