Disability is not inability. Some would argue that its being abled differently. The county government of Nakuru and the National council for persons with disability, entered into a memorandum of understanding few months ago.
The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding was to provide the Nakuru County Government with interventions for persons with disabilities.
The MOU will go a long way in enabling the county government of Nakuru to access the fund which will empower persons living with disability in its 11 sub counties
The fund will provide business capital, offer capacity building and enhance skills for individuals or groups of persons with disabilities.
This will ensure there is;
- Involvement of PWDs in order to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of people living with disability aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
- Access to medical care, rehabilitation, quality education and social dignity.
- Self-respect, security, right and welfare acquisition in the society for PWDs.
Several reasons cited by the controller of budget, made it impossible to access the funds.
The Reasons
- A disability function is a duplicate function of the national government.
- Set out the role of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities in the Regulations.
- Lack of a Memorandum of Understanding between the county and national government
- Sustainability of the fund was not set out. So far, the County Government of Nakuru has achieved the following;
- Developed disability Act.
- Developed the disability regulation.
- Provision of bursary for people living with disability (P.W.D).
- Waiver on business permits.
- Development of infrastructure in special schools.
- Engagement in sports e.g. sitting volleyball.
- Budgetary allocation for people living with disability every year from the exchequer.
County Government Plans
- Establish Partnerships with line ministries and other stakeholders
- Build the capacity of PWDs
- Empower PWDs through provision of mobility/assistive devices.
This will enable the administration ;
- To promote an understanding of the disability issue and mobilize the support of dignity, right and well-being of persons living with disability.
- Enhanced enrollment of P.W.D in Early Childhood Development Education Centers.
- Improved enrollment of P.W.D in village polytechnic.
- More allocation of bursaries to P.W.D.
- Increased accessibility infrastructural project.