This comes a day after a video of police officers mishandling the Paralympic team along Thika Road went viral on social media. Photo/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 3 – Nominated Member of Parliament representing people living with disability Dennita Ghati has accused the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage of discriminating and mistreating disabled sportsperson.
This comes a day after a video of police officers mishandling the Paralympic team along Thika Road went viral on social media.
The Team which had landed from Morocco staged demonstrations to demand for their allowances, but their efforts were disrupted by police who physically removed them from the superhighway.
“I am here today to basically express my displeasure at the way in which disabled sports men and women were treated by police officers on Thika Road yesterday. It is a shame that until now the Ministry of Sports is yet to say anything, and this is not the first time such a thing is happening. It is so shameful for the ministry to discriminate sports persons especially those living with disability,” Ghati lamented.
The development comes months after Kenya National Amputee Football team camped at the Sports Ministry offices to demand for their allowances after a stellar performance at the Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico.
Last week, the National Junior Athletics team staged a sit-in in their hotel after the government failed to settle their allowances during the African championships in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Nominated Member of Parliament representing people living with disability Dennita Ghati has accused the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage of discriminating and mistreating disabled sportsperson. Photo/NAIROBI NEWS
Ghati has called on the Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai to take action against those police officers saying they beat and mishandled people who were fighting for their rights.
“I am calling on the Inspector General to tell Kenyans why police officers were deployed to senselessly beat people who were an armed, disabled people and people who were rightfully demanding for their rights. This is utter shame and discrimination to these people,” she expressed.
The 54 member Kenya Paralympics team took part in the fourth International Athletics Meeting held in Marrakech, Morocco and brought home a total of 42 medals of which 11 were gold.
Meanwhile, Ghati wants the government to set up a directorate which will look into the affairs of disabled people.
She said only disabled people will understand how to treat their fellows.
The MP said she has given a notice to the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi and she will be seeking the adjournment of the house business next week, to allow Members of Parliament to discuss the alleged mistreatment of the disabled people
“As a member of parliament I am lobbying my fellow members we cut the budget allocated to the Ministry of Sports. If they cannot behave then there is no need to give them money for these people who they are treating badly. I have already given a notice to the speaker and we will discuss this mistreatment when the House resumes next week,” Ghati added.
-By Njoki Kahiu-
