Mandera is probably the worst county in Kenya for a person living with disabilty

MANDERA—Mandera County government has no budget for people living with disability, an official has confirmed.

The matter came to light on Wednesday when over 100 members of the disability group marched through the town of Mandera to express frustration at how the county government has sidelined them in government opportunities.

Individuals with disability racing to the finish line in the 2015 Dessert Wheel Race held in Isiolo. Photo/ Courtesy

Abdullahi Issack, the team captain of the disabled people in Mandera—a team that was set to take part in the the fifth edition of the Desert Wheel Race in Isiolo—said he was disappointed by the county social service department after his plea for funding to participate in the competition was plainly rejected.

“We are here today seeking answers as to why we are not going to Isiolo for sports as usual,”Abdullahi told Nation in Mandera.

He said the inception of the devolved system has denied people living with disability in Mandera the much needed government opportunities such as tenders.

“We have been told severally that we have not been considered in the county budget,” he added.

The head of the Social Service department in Mandera, Abdinasir Abdirahman confirmed that the county government has no budget for special groups such as people living with disability in the county.

The pathetic situation in Mandera is a sharp contrast to the neighbouring Wajir County where  disabled Rukia Ahmed is the cabinet member for the ICT,  trade, cooperative, wildlife , tourism and industrilisation.

Marking the International Day of People with Disability in Mandera, representative of the people living with disability, Hussein Barre told the deputy county commissioner that a cartel of land grabbers operating in the area have forcefully taken a three acre piece of land that belongs to the disabled.

“We are asking the government to repossess the land,” he pleaded.

The county women representative in the National Assembly, Fathia Mahboub urged Mandera resident not to discriminate against children with disability after it emerged that a large number of school-going children with disability remained at home while their physically able siblings attended schools.

“A lot of disabled children remain at home while their peers attend school,” Fathia said after she presented 20 wheelchairs in Mandera.

“It’s like parents are ashamed of them. We need to understand that having a disabled child is a gift from God,” she added.

Mandera National Council coordinator for people living with disability Fatuma  Ali said the government has set aside an equalization  fund for special schools that will help in providing basic services.