BY RICHARD SAKA
The physically challenged persons in Trans nzoia have raised concern over being forced on projects and donations without their input.
Led by Joseph Nato from their umbrella group of KINASI and their chair John Ndirangu, the group mainly from Kiminini sub county have complained over the move by a section of leaders who have bestowed unto themselves to launch programs and donations for them which they say some are useless and used as PR stunt.
Citing a recent wheel chair donation, the group has said that they were never consulted and were asked to assemble at Kiminini township and to their uttermost shock were told they were to be given wooden wheelchairs.
“Some of us do not need this wooden wheel chairs the county women rep office asked us to assemble for consultation and we were shocked to see wheel chairs and told to pose with them for media and their foundation photography.” Complained mr Nato.
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 tricycles were imported and was of high quality only for the wood to get stuck when purchases why have they decided to play with the disabled.”
For now the groups says will not attend any other such functions until they are consulted for their main needs to be discussed before being presented.
“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 he consults us.”concluded chair Ndirangu.
They have also questioned the rationale of importing the equipments which can be cheaply and be made readily by the available materials with the disabled community thus empowering them financially.
“We have a lot of our members who know 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.”added Jane Nangila who is blind.
The group asks politicians to at least have some compassion for them and not over use them.
“We are used as tools placed on hot sun without food to be paraded on facebook live as receiving donations yet some of us only need capital or other equipments we are fed up with wheel chair donations let them come to the ground and know our needs.” She said.
