Parents of children living with disabilities have been urged to ensure that those children attend school and are not denied essential services in society.

Speaking during a disability rights stakeholders’ event organized by Disability With Ability (DIWA) organization in Kilifi town, Kilifi County, the Kilifi North Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Samuel Mutisya said that many parents especially in the rural areas were still hiding their children who live with disabilities hence denying them various opportunities in life.

He added that there was a need for equity and fairness when it came to job opportunities, sorting activities, tendering process in government and private entities and also inclusion in the political spaces.

“We have had this fun fair that involves people with disabilities organized by DIWA and it is a forum where we are sensitizing the community about inclusion of PWDs with every sector of our lives. I take this opportunity to urge parents who have kids living with disabilities not to hide them and ensure that they go to school,” he said.

He said some people with disability had no documentation despite being of age and that they were missing a lot of opportunities that are associated with PWDs.

 “We have PWDs who are of age but they don’t even have birth certificates and identity cards and that is because they have been hidden from the outside world, they are missing the opportunities, fairness and equity that they deserve,” he added.

The Director of DIWA Susan Kitheka said that persons with disabilities constituted the biggest minority in Kenya, yet their needs are often overlooked adding that there were glaring gaps that existed between disability and various sectors, including education, healthcare, financing, and business.

She pointed out that these gaps create significant barriers that hinder the full participation of persons with disabilities in society.

 “This event has been brought about by stakeholders that feel that theirs is gap when it comes to PWDs inclusion in our day to day activities and we thank the organizations and government departments that have joined us so that they can also get to know the gaps that exist in service delivery so that they can implement the needed changes,” she said.

 At least 15 percent of the Kenyan population live with a disability which amounts to more than 8 million people.

Despite the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, Asige reiterated that she would not ask for anything from the president since the needs of this community are already well-known.

The Kilifi County Attorney office that was represented by Emily Kadzo said that the County government was implementing the new disability law which also gives PWDs opportunities to participate in sports, tendering processes and also business.

“Inclusion is provided for in the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the County government of Kilifi has cascaded it down by enacting the disability act which is mirrored from the disability act of the national government and inclusion is paramount where PWDs are included in every aspect of life and governance because they are part of us and they should not feel like they have been sidelined,” she said.

 Kevin Anungo, a Public Health Officer in Kilifi and an environmental conservation champion said that PWDs were a crucial component in environmental conservation since they constitute a large number of diaper users in the country.

 “We are now partnering with organizations dealing with PWDs so that we can also sensitize them on the need for environmental conservation and specifically proper disposal of diapers because a good number of them are users,” he said.