Disability is not Inability

:President Kibaki in His New Years message pledged to give more to The disability community in the year 2007.

The most unique thing about the Kibaki administration is that it has been thinking albeit with slow implementation about the disability sector. This is the only administration in which more money has gone to the disability sector like never before. Over Kshs. 40 million has been used in HIV/AIDS since the the Moi Must go elections in 2002.

It is in Kibaki's Administration that the PWD ACT 2004 was enacted and signed into law. and the National Council for persons with Disabilities bill debated, passed and signed into law and implemented. The NCPWDs was allocated with funds, opened an office and started initated a Strategic Plan for the next three years from 2006 to 2009.

In the years 2006 the administration has made several major policy moves that targeted various constituencies like women and youth. There is now the urgent for a major policy move targeting the person with disabilities. The President has been talking about this since his Kenyatta Day speech. The need for considering persons with the PWDs is essential for the administration to be considered an administration favouring ALL Kenyans equally.

In his New Year speech the President once again mentioned that his government will this years unleash policy statements that benefit the vulnerable groups of which we hope and pray that the persons living with disabilities are counted. We are sure about this because the president specifically mentioned it in his speech. He said those with physical or bodily challenges or vulnerabilites will be included in the focus of this year goodies.

The Disability sector needs to be integrated to feel part and parcel of the government. the fact that there has not been a disabled person in Governmnet either a nominated Member Parliament or Ministry even at an assistant level. Such a presence will have alot of impact in terms of mainstreaming disability-related issues in government. Any policy that will ensure more resource flow to issues that affect disability will have a significant impact.

The NCPWDs also need to expand its resources and therefore impact at the grassroots level. One way to this is to put more resources to reach the disability sector directly. CDF partcipation of the PWDs needs to be defined. Very few MPs have made efforts to support projects related to disability. Now that women are sitting on the CDF commitee they will be represented more. But what about the PWDs. The NACC need to fund disability organisations with that special funding talked about for so long through disbursements by the NCPWD.

While we wait for specifics from the government, the areas of education, health and employment. These are the main things that will make disability change. We need to look at the impact of using ICT to improve disability. We pray that the Kibaki Administration will ensure the underground Cable comes and that the disability sector is given what it takes to make full advantages. Many services can be made-disability-friendly by creative use of ICT. This site provides some of the initiatives that can deliver services to the disabled. this is especially true for those with sensory disabilities.

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