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{
    "id": 1491075,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1491075/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 192,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ali Roba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise to support this Bill by Sen. Crystal Asige, and I would like to start with something that should really touch all of us. In my role of leadership at the county government level, I have witnessed a lot of realities of life. The line between ability and disability is very thin. Sen. Olekina can be very healthy, perfectly in shape this minute and after a few minutes, he ceases to be, on the basis of other conditions God sent in terms of sickness or accident that is likely to happen to any one of us. Sen. Crystal Asige is trying to persuade the Senate to rise to the occasion as the leaders of today for the generations of today and tomorrow. This is by making sure we legislate, knowing very well what we are legislating can easily be for your children and the children of your children. The opportunity you have today as a Senator seated in this House with the capacity and the legal mandate to legislate, you may not have it tomorrow. You will probably not be in this House as a legislator to take advantage of such an opportunity. Sen. Crystal Asige is trying to sensitise the Senate and the legislature as a whole to understand that there is a critical mass. They are critical because when we undertook an audit of Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in Mandera County, we were shocked. The number of PWDs hidden within communities and homes because of the stigma or the inability to provide for them properly is alarming. We should feel challenged by Sen. Crystal Asige’s proposal to extend this proposal to require the National Public Service Commission (NPSC) and County Public Service Boards (CPSBs) to make deliberate considerations in terms of employment and by reserving positions particularly for PWDs in this country. This reality should inform all of us. Recently one morning, a Member of my Committee, Sen. Oketch Gicheru, was very healthy. He went to play soccer and for two months, he was in crutches; he could not move. These are the realities that need to inform us. Today, you are well, tomorrow, you are not. Sen. Crystal Asige, I wish to congratulate you and challenge you further because sometimes the wearer of the shoes knows where it pinches the most. It is you to sensitise this Senate, so that we can bank on the Senate’s 100 per cent support that we are going to stand by you. This is to make sure that the laws that favour persons disadvantaged in whichever way are going to get remedies through legislation that forces the Government, not only the national Government, the county government and their managers but also the parastatals and companies to conform with the law. We need to pass legislation that are going to compel private entities to be able to conform to certain norms prescribed in law, that should they advertise X number of positions, they need to reserve a certain number for persons who are disadvantaged in society particularly PWDs. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}