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{
    "id": 1197917,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1197917/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 459,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Crystal Asige",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "of the transfer that needs to happen from a car to a wheelchair, for example, and from a wheelchair back into the car. PWDs need more space. In Nairobi City, which I am not used to because I am from Mombasa County, I find that the designated parking slots, whether for PWDs or not, are extremely thin. It makes it difficult for PWDs to move around easily with comfort and dignity in and out of their motor vehicles. Think about parents who, for example, take their children to town to be fitted with uniforms. They need space so that their children can procure that service. Think of people who are paraplegic trying to move around the city centre and get their errands done. Think about the visually impaired people like myself, who also need to get around quickly and have perhaps a friend or a family member drive them around but because of the cramped spaces; we have to fear for our lives every time we get out of a car. Another issue that the disabled communities face with the designated parking, apart from lack of parking spaces for us, is the timing as mentioned by Sen. Sifuna. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to move as quickly or comfortably as the non- disabled. Therefore, we need more than just a one hour or 30-minute grace period before we can pay. Unfortunately, the environment around us, which we have to navigate, does not allow us to do what we need to do in a short period of time. That is something else that needs to be considered in this essential Motion that has been brought to the Floor of the House. Another challenge that PWDs face is that people use the few designated parking slots meant for PWDs. Many a times, I have been at a mall or an institution to seek for services. Sometimes when a family member or friend drives me and we try to locate for a parking slot meant for PWDs, we realise that there is a boda boda parked there. Sometimes you find that a parked car does not have a sticker showing that it belongs to a PWD because an askari told them to park there because there was nobody. That means that we are being forgotten about from the jump. Just because a designated PWDs parking space does not have somebody at the moment, it does not mean that in the next five minutes a PWD will not need it. There is also the issue of respect and dignity. Earlier on, Sen. Oketch Gicheru talked about human rights while Sen. Wambua talked about freedom from discrimination of any kind. These are violations of human rights and not just lack of planning by the Ministries involved, such as the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works. It goes to the heart of the kind of a world that we want to create. Are we going to keep leaving PWDs behind when it comes to parking slots? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I request Sen. Sifuna to also consider this angle and perspective of PWDs and the designated spaces that we need. This is because we also want to access schools, hospitals, financial services, shopping malls, recreation centres, sporting facilities and the likes. We should not continue being left behind in these issues. I thank you."
}