Kenya deserves credit for the steps it has taken to support persons with disabilities. Over the years, the government has established programmes that provide cash support to people with severe disabilities, funding for disability-related projects, assistance for people with albinism and measures to improve access to jobs and public services.
Tax reliefs have also provided important support to eligible people with disabilities. The law provides for income tax exemptions, while the newer disability legislation goes further by providing for assistance with assistive devices, access to credit and additional support for families caring for people with severe disabilities.
These measures show that disability is increasingly being treated as a rights and development issue rather than simply a matter of charity.
But good policies must be matched by effective implementation.
Many persons with disabilities still face barriers in education, employment, healthcare, transport and access to public buildings and information. Families caring for people with severe disabilities can also face heavy financial and social pressures.
The government therefore needs to strengthen the implementation of existing programmes and ensure that money set aside for disability support reaches those who need it. This requires adequate and predictable funding, better coordination between national and county governments and simpler application procedures.
Quote of the Day:“Too many people don’t care what happens so long as it doesn’t happen to them.”—27th US President and Chief Justice William Howard Taft was born September 15, 1857
