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{
    "id": 443696,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/443696/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 243,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Bishop) Mutua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13137,
        "legal_name": "Robert Mutemi Mutua",
        "slug": "robert-mutemi-mutua"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, hon. Speaker. I would like to start by saying that information empowers people. Every time we deny people information, we actually disempower them. This Bill is seeking to empower a certain section of the population of this country. When we are talking about disability issues, we are talking about serious issues. In 1993, I tried to import a car and I was seeking an exemption. The question I was asked by the people who were in the revenue authorities was: “Are you going to be specifically the one driving the car so that we can tax-exempt it for you?” It took me a lot of time to show that I could not drive that time, and that I would get someone to drive the car. These are some of the insensitivities that affect the disability sector. We are talking about empowering people and understanding disability issues. Even the Civil Service can begin to offer service to the disability sector in a more effective way. This Bill is actually like a tip of the iceberg. There are many other major issues that will require to be addressed. Therefore, this is a very good start; I want to congratulate our sister for giving us a starting point. But this is not all; we would like to see a scenario where the sign language is actually a compulsory language taught from class one, all the way through, so that people can communicate. The Uwezo Fund is going to groups. How hard is it to form a group of the disabled? Are we saying that we want more disabled people, so that they can form a group? You might find in a village two or three disabled people who want to access the Uwezo Fund; they may be told to be in a group; how do they form a group? They cannot even meet every now and then. We need to become sensitive to the disability and tailor services to that category. We are talking about issues of access and inclusion. The disability sector is actually excluded from very many things. We need to become alive to the disability sector; it is actually excluded from very many things; very many little things are not done for the disabled. We need to become alive to disability challenges and model our system and services to those in that category. As I conclude, if you look at our services at our airports--- Many times you will find at an airport people are not ready to help the disabled. When a disabled arrives he or she has to wait for a long time for somebody to help them. This wastes time and makes us feel excluded. I would like to see sensitivity all the way through and everywhere where services are given; disability matters must be brought on board, so that our people can feel they are also benefiting from the advancement that we are making as a nation. This Bill gives us the starting point. Thank you very much for the opportunity."
}