DUPOTO, a Narok-based organisation that serves People with Disabilities (PWDs), expressed concern on radio about how PWDs have been overlooked in nominations for positions at the Narok County Assembly.

The 1-hour radio program was supported by Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative (DLCI) with funding from HIVOS under the Voice Project.

The DUPOTO Disabled, Integrated Programme Group team, led by John Kool, expressed regret that political parties changed the names of persons with disabilities shortlisted in Kenya gazettes and replaced them with names of other people who do not represent PWDs.

They also demanded that the Narok County Government appoint PWDs to executive positions, CEOs, and boards of directors, as stated in the Kenyan Constitution.

They also urged the Narok County government to allocate funds to people with disabilities. DUPOTO also requested that the county government ensure that PWD students receive adequate bursaries to support their education.

Before the August General election, DUPOTO presented their issues to the Gubernatorial aspirants. One of the issues they wanted addressed was that the county leadership would collaborate with Narok County organisations of people with disabilities to develop the Narok County Disability Policy within 180 days.

The county leadership was also expected to appoint the Narok County Inclusion Committee, whose mandates will be to establish an inclusion Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanism, to conduct consultations between the Parties on inclusion issues, and to improve access to services for Persons with Disabilities, particularly as they relate to public participation, access to education for disabled children, access to county procurement services, and access to employment for Persons with Disabilities.

Third, the leadership would establish a Narok County Inclusion Fund, which would, among other functions, provide funding and credit to businesses, support schools and hospitals to modify their physical environment, and build the capacity of county staff on disability inclusion.