Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1511594,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1511594/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 670,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Molo, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kuria Kimani",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, when I saw the great ladies sitting this late in the night, contributing to this very important matter, I felt I should come to commend them and support this very good Bill. This shows the hard work that Parliament puts that at some point, Kenyans do not get to appreciate. It is 10.36 p.m. and these mothers and wives of great Kenyans are still sitting here to make sure that the Bill that supports the most vulnerable people in the society is passed. Therefore, I strongly support the Persons with Disabilities Bill (Senate Bill No.7 of 2023). Globally, disability inclusion is increasingly recognised as critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over one billion people, approximately 16 per cent of the global population live with disabilities. Therefore, their inclusion is very pivotal. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emphasises the need for inclusive development, non-discrimination and accessibility. In Kenya, we are facing significant challenges despite notable progress. Our Constitution and the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008 signalled strong intent. However, the 5 per cent employment threshold for persons with disabilities in the public service remains unmet. It currently stands at only 1.53 per cent. Accessibility to public and private infrastructure continues to lag behind. Support mechanisms such as the monthly stipend of about Ksh3,000 still remains inadequate to address the economic realities that face the households of people with disabilities. Best practices will inform us in some areas. For example, the United States of America passed the Americans with Disabilities Act that mandates non-discrimination in employment, with federal governments, the equivalent of the county governments in Kenya, actively involved in compliance. The Bill’s focus on preferential procurement for persons-with-disabilities-led businesses is commendable, but it requires robust enforcement mechanisms to match international standards. The European Union (EU) has led the best practice in terms of accessibility where the European Accessibility Act ensures that all products, services and public infrastructure are designed to be inclusive. The Bill proposes collaboration between the National Council for Persons with Disabilities and the county governments. However, we need to provide additional funding and resources for the implementation strategies that are needed to achieve that great milestone. Australia leads in terms of investment in technology where investment in assistive technologies is prioritised, with significant government incentives for business innovation in that space. We can deal with the challenges that persons with disabilities face by having assistive technologies. We need to borrow from best practices and ensure that we support persons with disabilities with assistive technologies such as hearing aids. Those technologies will help us to deal with persons with disabilities. We also need to recognise the role of the counties. We are aware that we have 48 governments, that is, the 47 county governments and the national Government. There must be"
}