BY FAITH MASIGA
The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has called for a disability-inclusive electoral process in the country.
The Council made the call during a session with the National Dialogue Committee, which is currently receiving submissions from various stakeholders on a number of issues, including the two-thirds gender rule, electoral justice, and outstanding constitutional matters.
NCPWD Executive Director Harun Hassan said that the appointment of more persons with disabilities to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is essential to ensuring that the electoral process is accessible and inclusive for all Kenyans.
“This will provide the much-needed voice on disability issues in the rooms where key decisions on electoral processes are made,” he said.
The Council also noted that the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule usually discriminates against members with disabilities of the minority group.
The Council called for a 5 percent reservation of these slots to be reserved for persons with disabilities of the specific gender.
NCPWD also urged the National Dialogue Committee to ensure that a specific 5 percent quota is reserved for disability-related activities in the National Government Affirmative Action, Senate Oversight, and Constituency Development funds. This would ensure that persons with disabilities are empowered in line with Article 43 of the Constitution.
The committee, which was approved by Parliament, is co-chaired by National Assembly Majority Leader Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah and His Excellency Kalonzo Musyoka and is composed of members from the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party.