People with Disability in Nyamira County have sworn to seek redress from the courts so that they are considered for the county’s top leadership appointments.
Mr. Andrew Onyambu Magaseti, who is visually impaired, revealed to the press on Thursday that one of their own had been identified to represent them at the county assembly and listed in Kenya’s official gazette notice. They were only shocked on the date of the swearing in ceremony at the County Assembly to find their name replaced.
“During the swearing in ceremony for Nyamira Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), PWDs had great hopes because one of our own had been nominated and listed in the government’s gazette notice but we were shocked when the name was not called out. We were greatly disappointed and worse still no one availed an explanation as to why this happened,” Magaseti decried.
He explained that the act was unjust and was a true reflection on how we are disregarded in the community and belittled by many that we cannot make good leaders.
Ms. Evalyne Nyagau a disabled person from Kiabonyoru recounted that on Tuesday this week when Governor Amos Nyaribo was announcing his cabinet and chief officers’ nominees, the disabled people equally had high expectations that he could not miss to nominate a person with disability because some of them had been shortlisted and interviewed for chief officer’s post.
“We were surprised that our Governor never considered any person with disability in his list, the same way he did when he was sworn in as Governor after the death of our county’s first Governor John Nyagarama and never appointed any person living with disability,” Nyangau said
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Magaseti said there are over 10,000 registered people with disability in Nyamira County and they voted for the governor with a promise that he will ensure that part of his leadership team will comprise of people living with disability but he has totally failed to honour his promise.
On Tuesday this week, when Governor Nyaribo named his proposed County Executive and chief officers, people with disability were not represented and after inquiry he assured that there were still many vacant top positions which he was yet to appoint people to fill them and advised they remain calm until such a time when he will appoint them.
