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"id": 1151608,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1151608/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Tharaka, DP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. George Gitonga",
"speaker": {
"id": 13491,
"legal_name": "George Gitonga Murugara",
"slug": "george-gitonga-murugara"
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"content": "and incentives. They would be exempted from certain taxes. It will make them provide for even children with disabilities to go to school. Henceforth we should have reliefs for such children. When children with disabilities go to school, levies charged by schools and the Government should be waived totally or reduced substantially so that the children are able to acquire the necessary education. Part V of the Bill deals with the relationship between the national and county governments on disability matters. This is why this law will of necessity go to the Senate. That notwithstanding, the fact remains that some of the rights accorded to PWDs are rights that fall under the devolution chapter of the Constitution and have to be enforced by the county governments. It is therefore important that the county governments are informed of their obligations when dealing with PWDs, including provisions in the Constitution and in the procurement laws. Persons with disabilities have to get a certain percentage of contracts in the national and county governments. We know for sure that what happens in the county governments can sometimes not be accounted for. Sometimes it is what we would term as blatant breach of the law in terms of dealing with gender issues or with PWDs. Part VI of the Bill is quite important because it deals with offences and penalties. As we said, there is a whole chapter containing rights of PWDs. What happens to persons who decide to breach those rights? What obligations do they have? Where a person commits a criminal offence, what penalties is he likely to be faced with? It is important to note that it is an offence to discriminate against PWDs. It is also an offence to abuse, exploit or use violence against PWDs. It has also now become an offence to hide PWDs. We have been told that sometimes in the African culture, we find it a little bit shameful to expose PWDs to strangers, all in the name of not wishing others to see that you have such a person. It will now be an offence if you hide such a person, especially from the authorities that fall under the Council. It is also an offence to treat PWDs in a degrading manner that lowers their dignity as human beings or in trying to treat them as semi- human. That is an offence punishable by the law. Some of the penalties prescribed are prohibitive, which is what good law should do. There are miscellaneous provisions, including clause 78 on general penalties. The provisions buttress the fact that Kenya seeks to treat PWDs with the dignity they deserve and to accord them protection through the law. Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I do support."
}