Persons with disabilities in Kisumu now want the county government to set up a department to specifically address their issues. Putting the issues of disability under the Social Services docket was not enough, they said. Through their representative Joseph Osoto, they said that there was confusion on who should specifically deal with the complaints coming from them. “The Social Services is not helping us because you tell them a problem and you are told that it has not been budgeted for,” Osoto said. The group also wants the road construction company to rework its zebra crossings, saying they disadvantaged them. “On the middle of a zebra crossing, you find raised grounds that cannot allow a wheelchair user to pass through. They should rework this,” he added. Osoto also criticised the 30 percent procurement rule for the youth, women and persons with disabilities as existing on paper only. “None of us has gotten these tenders. We register companies and we never get them, “he said. He urged members to quicken the application of tax exemption certificates from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

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