By Kabaraji Ritchie
A section of physically challenged persons in Trans Nzoia County has raised concerns over what they claim is being forced on projects and donations without their input.
Led by Joseph Nato from their umbrella group of the persons from Kiminini, Nabiswa and Sikhendu (KINASI) in Kiminini Sub County and their chair John Ndirangu, the group has accused a section of leaders who has bestowed unto themselves the mandate to launch programs and donations for them.
They have since described some of the programs as useless and only used as PR stunt.
Sighting a recent wheel chair donation by the Trans Nzoia County Woman Memner of Parliament Lilian Siyoi, the group has said that they were never consulted.
They say they were only asked to assemble at Kiminini township – after which they were told the meeting was for them to be given wooden wheelchairs.
“Some of us do not need this wooden wheel chairs. The County Womam MP office asked us to assemble for consultations and we were shocked to see wheel chairs and told to pose with them for media and their foundation photography,” Nato claimed.
Political tool
They further faulted a section of leaders whom they say use them as political tool to woe voters and attract foreign funding.
“They told us that the trycycles were imported and was of high quality only for the wood to get stuck when pushed. Why have they decided to play with the disabled,” asked another member of the group.
The group has now announced that they will not attend any other such functions until they are consulted for their main needs to be discused before being presented with the assistive devices.
“BBI failed due to lack of public participation and such projects will not take off and we are going to return the donations to the said office until we are consulted,” Nato said.
In addition, the group questioned why the assistive devices had to be imported yet they could be affordable be procured locally.
They noted that persons with Disabilities could have been given the tender to make and supply them as part of empowerment.
“We have alot of our members who kjow how to weld and are also carpenters why does the leaders import the equipments thus not meeting the desired result as some are too big for the beneficiaries,” noted Jane Nagila who is visually impaired.
