Ksh 10M set aside for persons with disability

Murang’a county government on Thursday unveiled a plan to set aside Ksh 10 million annually to provide bursary for the disabled persons.

Governor Mwangi Wa Iria said disabled persons were forced to compete for bursaries with other students from the Ksh. 70 million bursary kitty set up by the county government which led to them missing opportunities due to lack of money.

Speaking while addressing Murang’a residents at Ihura stadium during the world disability day, Wa Iria said a high number of people suffering from visual impairment have expressed interest of joining schools for the blind but have been unable to make it due to financial challenges.

The governor said the bursary kitty will ensure all persons suffering from various forms of disability are able to access education whether it is artisan skills or universities.

Wa Iria also noted that the county government will facilitate the various institutions dealing with special needs in the county to increase their intake and accommodate more students.

The governor also added that the county government will roll out a program to pay the National Health Insurance Funds (NHIF) for disabled persons.

He said the program will first benefit 1,000 persons, especially those with dire health needs and require constant medical attention.

He said Ksh. 6 million will be set aside from the county health fund to cater for the insurance to make sure people with disabilities are able to access inpatient and outpatients medical care.

Wa Iria stated that he had given a directive to the local public service to ensure it employs one skilled disabled persons for each of the 10 departments in the county government.

He said his government will make a deliberate effort to ensure more disabled people benefit from employment opportunities.

Wa Iria also noted that over 2,400 disabled people have benefited from free walking aids issued by the county government in a program that was started two years ago, he said the county government has issued wheel chairs, walking sticks and prosthetic limbs in a bid to empower them to be independent.