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{
"id": 963957,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/963957/?format=api",
"text_counter": 254,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
"slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
},
"content": "Article 54 of the Constitution, it is very important that PWDs should be given the respect they deserve; and they should not be seen in pity. They should be given opportunities, just like what the Mover of the Motion, Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve, said on the issue of sports. We have what we call Para Sports, adaptive sports or disabled sports, and one of the sections is the Paralympics. From the county I come from, Abraham Cheruiyot Tarbei won gold in the Paralympics of 2008. These are people who you might think are unable, but if they are given the necessary support, they can make it to the top. For example, there is a famous athlete from South Africa - I cannot recall his name - who ran into problems the other day and he is facing criminal charges. However, he is one of the world’s celebrated short distance runners who used blades. Therefore, these people are not limited. As my neighbour, Eliud Kipchoge, would say, “No man is limited.” Therefore, even for the PWDs, we should facilitate them not to be limited, because they have the capacity, intellect and strength even in terms of sports. A person like Henry Wanyoike is among the people who we celebrate, as a country. He is a Paralympic living with disability, but he has not allowed that disability to limit the potential opportunities and capacity that he has. Therefore, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I call upon county assemblies, the county executives and the county governments across the 47 counties that, as we go into the future, we should put these associations in place. I do not know whether we will still have 47 or 46 counties, because the BBI Report has proposed Nairobi to be scrapped among the counties. I do not know, but let us assume that they will be 47 counties, as things are. When we go to sports, for example when we went to Senate mashinani, we have noted that counties do not give prominence the PWDs Para Sports. When we form these associations, it will allow proper coordination and synchronisation of the issues of sports for the PWDs. Therefore, I call upon the county governments to be on the forefront of forming these associations. I assure Nairobi City County that they will not be scrapped in the near future, because we are the protectors of devolution as envisaged under Article 96. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, my third point is on The Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2019. I know that it is still a Bill. Clause three, which has been introduced - and I hope we will have an opportunity to look at it, since we are creating obligations for both national and county governments - is because this is a shared function. We also want the national Government as well as the county governments to play their roles. I like the wording of that Bill, because they have said an obligation for the county and national governments. We should make them obligated. When you walk into a building and there are no ramps for access by PWDs, that building should be closed down, just the way public health closes down buildings because of lack of sanitation. We are constructing beautiful roads, bypasses and walkways, but when we do not give space to the PWDs? It is very disappointing. Therefore, in amendments of 2019 on the PWDs Act of 2003, as revised in 2012, when you look at Clause 3, both county and national governments have been obligated to come up with policies, guidelines, rules, regulations, by laws and legislations. We hope"
}