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{
    "id": 628402,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/628402/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 284,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Expenses in such institutions have been left to the communities and churches. If we can solve some of these problems through this Bill, I am sure that we will live in a country that we are proud of. We should have free education for all. The Government should address the challenges faced by children with disabilities, because many of them are neglected by the parents. In fact, the author of this Bill should amend it to provide for the census of disabled people. We should find out how many there are in every sub-county and county. This will ensure that every county takes care of their persons with disabilities. Most institutions for persons with disabilities do not have proper transport facilities. Sometimes teachers are forced to walk deaf and blind children across the road due to lack of special transport facilities. We have neglected this society in this country. In Canada and other advanced countries, the persons with disabilities are given a lot of respect. Special seats in buses are reserved for persons with disabilities. In some countries there are special lifts for such people. I was in Zambia with my friend Sen. Omondi and found out that the Minister for Gender, who is disabled, has made sure that her office has facilities for the disabled. She has made sure that her office accommodates persons with disabilities. She has provided elevators, chairs and washrooms for persons with disabilities. Therefore, there is need for us to take care of these people and make them enjoy life like the rest of us. Sometimes when we construct toilets in schools, we do not think about persons with disabilities. So, with the passage of this Bill and establishment of the county offices that will take care of the needs of persons living with disabilities. I am happy students in these institutions will be treated in a humane way. Madam Temporary Speaker, it is important we pass this kind of law because it will compel county governments to take care of all persons with disabilities in their counties. The department will be taken care of in the same way that they take care of others, for instance, the education departments. Teachers who teach in those institutions have a lot of problems. I, therefore, request the Government to set up a programme to train teachers on special skills to deal with children with disabilities. Without the special skills, the teachers will end up becoming caretakers or house helps. They will not know the demands of the students. Madam Temporary Speaker, Sir, we must support this Bill because it is anchored on a devolved function. County governments should come up with programmes to support persons with disabilities. There is lack of information from parents who have children with some disabilities. Many parents are not comfortable talking about the conditions of their children. According to some African traditions, disabilities are associated with curses. Therefore, I urge both county and national governments to provide information to parents with children living with disabilities. Let them come up with programmes on how to address the plight of persons with disabilities. We must provide persons with disabilities with necessary equipment like hearing devices, wheelchairs and walking sticks and so on. In fact, all this equipment should be zero rated. I urge the Government to import such equipment on a large scale because there are very many people living with disabilities in this country. When the equipment is zero rated, it will be availed to people who need it at no extra cost. A school like Thika The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes"
}