PERSONS WITH DISABILITY AND EDUCATION

Lobbying is the most appropriate action for our campaign since The Proposed Constitution of

Kenya, in chapter 4 articles 54, 1(b) on persons with disability, stipulates that to access

educational institutions and facilities for persons with disabilities that are integrated into society

to the extent compatible with the interests of the person. We feel as the fourth estate that the

Government especially the Ministry of Education and relevant authorities in education must take

affirmative steps and action in support and enforcement of this article on learning institutions

from preliminary levels through secondary to tertiary levels to conform with the requirements of

identifying and evaluating all students who they suspect are eligible for special education.

In our case as fourth estate we lobby for more funds, more individualized learning, services such

as individual tutoring, counseling and any educational assistance to the following forms of

disabilities, mental retardation, deafness, specific learning disability, hearing impairment, speech

or language impairment, serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairment, other health

impairment, blindness, autism, traumatic brain injury, and multiple disabilities. On the grounds

that article 56(a) the state shall put in place affirmative action programmes designed to ensure

that minorities and marginalized groups-are provided special opportunities in educational and

economic fields.

In article 21(4) the state shall enact and implement legislation to fulfill its international

obligations in respect of human rights and fundamental freedom, and Legislation body we

prefered to use to effect the change is parliament national assembly member.

 In our group we chose,

Timothy Wanyonyi is a Kenyan Member of Parliament (MP) representing Westlands

constituency in Nairobi County. A he represents person living with disabilities in Parliament.He

is a Member of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and a coalition member of Coalition for

Reforms and Democracy.

Hon. Wanyonyi is one of the founders of Kenya Paraplegic Organization (KPO) and also

executive director. The organizers of Bring Zack Back Home campaign which was aimed

to build the first spinal injury rehabilitation centre in Kenya. He once narrated to Nation

newspaper how he was confined to a wheelchair. He said that in 1998, carjackers shot him just a

few meters after dropping a friend in Ngara Estate, Nairobi.

His struggles in accessing treatment motivated him and other paraplegics to start a spinal cord

rehabilitation centre in Kenya. Before Zachary Kimothos (Zack) campaign, the organization

would hold a fundraising twice every year, where they would collect about Sh. 1 million. With

that money, they bought a 12 acre plot of land in Kiserian, where the 150 bed facility was to be

built. Since the national assembly is on recess our team managed to get his contact at the law

society of Kenya on line page. We made a phone call and his personal assistance (PA) picked the

phone call we addressed our issue and requested a fifteen minute meeting with the Hon Tim

Wanjonyi, after a short conversation she schedule our meeting with the honorable at Kempsky

lounge set in one weeks time.

The lobbyists, Kenya National Council of Persons with Disability, The Convention on the Rights

of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission,

Kenya National Development Funds for Persons with Disability and the Ministry of Education

are in support of this fundamental legislation. However, the community at large especially most
of this persons are still adamant and less supportive of this important legislation, parents who

still believe in confining or putting in custody a disable youth, teachers who suspects a pupil or a

student is eligible for special education and still fail to take affirmative action of providing more

individualized learning or directing the young learner to relevant learning institution.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), offers sufficient standards of

protection for the civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights of persons with disabilities

on the basis of inclusion, equality and non-discrimination, it makes clear that the persons with

disabilities are entitled to live independently in their communities, to make their own choices and

to play an active role in society.

Kenya National Council of Persons with Disability supports the provision of any Assistive

Devices and Services to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Kenya to enable these individuals

to function in the society. The funds give priority to those individuals requiring assistance to

function in learning, training or work environment.

Kenya National Development Funds for Persons with Disability this programme aims to improve

persons with disabilities, the funds provide grants to community and self help groups for

economic empowerment which also provide education or social services for persons with

disabilities.

Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission was established to promote the public

and observance of human rights in public and private institutions.

Since the national assembly is on recess our team managed to get his contact at the law society of

Kenya on line page. We made a phone call and his personal assistance (PA) picked the phone call

we addressed our issue and requested a fifteen minute meeting with the Hon Tim Wanjonyi, after
a short conversation she schedule our meeting with the honorable at Kempsky lounge set in one

weeks time.

One of our member also shared a heartfelt personal story about her cousins near death accident

experience which left him partial paraplegic.

Wambui is a 23 year old lady perusing her studies at the Mt.Kenya University. She is

independent young lady living with her family in Ruiru. Wambui was hit by a drunk driver as she

was crossing the road in the evening of 12th December 2010 at 7:30 p.m. The accident left her as

a partial paraplegic.

She now lives life just like anyone else without a disability would live their life. Her dreams

were cut short as its hard for her to complete education because of the expense in the treatment

and medication that she takes.

As a person with a disability, Wambui has experienced many barriers. Recovering from recent

rotator cuff surgery, his rehabilitation specialists couldnt see past his disability. She once was

being prepared for surgery when a nurse proclaimed she doesnt need an epidural, shes a

paraplegic. Wambui had to inform the nurse that she was only a partial paraplegic and that she

would indeed need an epidural.

Wambui has seen a lot in over 8 years as someone living with a disability. Shes seen many of the

barriers and attitudes towards people with disabilities persist. But shes also seen many positive

changes to get people with disabilities physically active through recreational opportunities such

as swimming and playing football. There are now organizations such as the compassionate hands

for the disabled where Wambui mentors young persons living with disability.
During our encounter with the Hon Tim Wanyonyi, at Kempsky our spokesperson Alex Njenga,

then, Janet Kabura will answer questions directed to us, then Richard Nandi will take notes and

lastly Linda Ndinda will write the follow up thank you letter.

We dressed in official attire and arrived at the venue of the interview thirty minutes earlier, the

honorable came exactly on time during 1 oclock and we introduced ourselves as constituents

lobbying as a group on the persons with disability and education. Hon. Tim Wanyonyi voted in

favor of Bring Zack Back Home campaign which was aimed in uplifting the condition of

persons living with disability and also raising funds for the establishment of the rehabilitation

centre for the persons living with disablility.

This issue highly affects individuals whom are affected and effected with it. By lobbying

establish more systems of education that can accommodate them. There are few facilities that can

offer education for persons living with disabilities. Having more schools and universities for the

persons living that can accommodate each individuals. This as from the personal story that we

shared, it is hard for some persons living with disability to get an institution that can

accommodate them while learning. Our university and the compassionate hands for the disabled

foundation are in support our position.

We were able to pose questions to Hon. Wanyonyi. We asked him, Can you support our mission?

Is it would be possible to co-sponsor the bill?. We got positive response from the Hon. Wanyonyi

as he agreed on our issue on lobbying for education for persons living with disability.

We gave Hon. Wanyonyi a fact sheet that has outteam's outline and explainin what the bill does

and the reason he should support the viewpoint.

At the end of the meeting we rhanked Hon. Wanyonyi for his time with our team, and

appreciated how he was with our lobbying issue we were dealing with.

The Hon. gave us information on how he started living with disability. He narrated his story as

how he was confined to a wheelchair. He said that in 1998, carjackers shot him just a few metres

after dropping a friend in Ngara Estate, Nairobi.

He said that he had to travel to a rehabilitation centre in Belgium. This did cost his family 10

million shillings the three month stay at the hospital. The Kenyan embassy in Brussels, Belgium,

stood guarantee until they finished paying the amount two years later.

The struggle in accessing treatment motivated him and other paraplegics to start a spinal cord

rehabilitation centre in Kenya. The organization would hold a fundraising twice every year,

where they would collect about Sh 1 million. With that money, they bought a 12 acre plot of land

in Kiserian, where the 150 bed facility was to be built. This has helped many people to access

treatment in Kenya rather than going outside the country to get the same treatment. Through this

the increase of learning facilities to cater for persons living with disabilities was an important

way that each individual get good education.

Our team also came up with a follow up letter which reiterate our key points on persons living

with disability. This was to give him more information on our lobbying issue that we would

want more legislators to support it. Here we built a relationship with Hon. Wanyonyi as he in

support with our issue on persons living with disability and education.