Relevant government agencies have been asked to ensure all upcoming buildings across the country are accessible to people living with disabilities.
Speaking in Eldoret town on Monday during the marking of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Project Manager at Global Civic Sharing, a Non-Governmental Organization, Samuel Kioko expressed concerns that implementation of a law requiring all buildings to be accessible to people with disabilities has been slow.
“Government agencies mandated to ensure that law is enforced have been slow in implementation and we urge that they step up efforts so that all new buildings coming up can be accessed by the disabled with minimum efforts,” said Kioko.
Similar sentiments were shared by the Uasin Gishu County Director of the National Council of People with Disabilities (NCPWD) Titus Yego.
Yego further challenged county governments to put in place measures that will ensure at least 5 percent of job opportunities go to people with disabilities.
On his part, the Uasin Gishu chairman of the Association of Physically Disabled Asbel Choge called on the national government to consider waiving tax imposed on assistive devices for the disabled.
“This will enable the devices to be imported duty-free subsequently making them cheaper for the disabled,” noted Choge.
County’s Social Services Executive (CeC) Joseph Kurgat who was the chief guest at the event expressed their commitment to supporting people with disabilities.
He said the county government has already established a fund meant to support people with disabilities.
“So far we’ve distributed Sh20 million to people with disabilities in the first phase of the fund and we expect to release another Sh9.4 million that will benefit 795 individuals living with disability in the county in the second phase,” said Kurgat.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992.
It is marked annually on December 3.
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