The Senate Standing Committees on Labour and Social Welfare; and Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Co- chaired by Sen. George Mbugua and Sen. Catherine Mumma respectively, held a joint sitting today with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities to deliberate on Programmes and Services offered by the Council and the actions they are taking towards Disability Mainstreaming. 

Among the programmes and services offered by the Council are; economic empowerment, equipment and infrastructure support to institutions, rehabilitation and habilitation services, provision of assistive devices, mobility and orientation training, Kenya sign language training programme, offering education assistance support, cash transfer to persons with severe disabilities, albinism support programme, registration of persons with disabilities and organizations, mainstreaming disability in all national development, support persons with disabilities access employment, offering legal services, advocacy and awareness, autism and other related developmental disabilities support programme and facilitating persons with disabilities access tax exemption.

The Council in its pursuit to serve the Persons with Disabilities has faced challenges of inadequate budgetary allocation. Delays in the National Treasury's disbursement of funds. Inadequate staffing and office space. Non-compliance of public institutions with the requirement of the 5% reservation of employment of persons with disabilities and where they are employed a number of employers do not provide the necessary reasonable accommodation to support employees with disabilities. 

NCPWD requested the Committee and Senate for support in development of legislation and policies that promote disability inclusion at the County level. Lobby for the County Governments to provide budgetary allocations for implementation of programmes targeting persons with disabilities at the respective counties to supplement/complement the programmes offered by the Council. Intervene in the finalization of the Persons with Disabilities Bill 2021 for eventual enactment. Intervene to have policies and legislations that will ensure increased budgetary allocation to the Council to enhance service delivery to persons with disabilities at the Counties. Advocate for enforcement of the 5% reservation of employment to persons with disabilities at the County Governments and County Assemblies. Intervene to have the County Government to waive the Medical Disability Assessment fee charged to persons with disabilities by hospitals in some counties. Lobby for county governments to ensure mainstreaming of disability in service provision and the built environment at the counties. Establish a framework for awareness creation to advance the rights of persons with disabilities at the County level. 

The Council also noted that only 22 out of the 47 Counties have nominated members of County Assembly with disabilities. 

Sen. Julius Recha, Sen. Oburu Oginga, Sen. Rtd. Justice Steward Madzayo, Sen. David Wakoli, Sen. Crystal Asige, Sen. Miraj Abdulrahman, Sen. Mohamed Faki and Sen. Mohamed Chute were in present.