Written by Carren Papai 2012-05-14 11:17:00 Read 792 Times

Prospective recruits for Kenya police at the Lumakanda Sports Ground. Photo/ File

Kenya Union of Blind branch Chairman Upper Western Alex Ekirapa has called upon the government to include and select disabled people in the coming police force recruitment. Addressing the press in his office in Amogoro, Ekirapa said it is high time the government should endorse people with disabilities in police force terming them robust, educated and focused.

 Mr. Ekirapa revealed that the new constitution has given all Kenyans equal opportunity to participate in building the Nation in all levels adding it will be good if the disabled people would be included in forces saying that they are ready to save the nation diligently.

“The government should know that disability is not inability and such people can work as pilots, captains, cooks, chaplains, store keepers   among many available chances in forces,” explained Ekirapa.

 He also said that the reforms introduced recently in the police and defense forces has favored the family of disabled to work like any other person in forces .He regretted saying that from the past the government has been giving disabled issues a deaf ear sounding the warning that time round the state must give them equal participating opportunity in building up the nation.

“ Nothing about us without us,’’ he gave this slogan well known by disabled people to keep the state on alert that  this time round if the government will relent  in overlooking  them in various employment chances and  fields then, they will end up in amass action to prompt it to take them as any other Kenyan. He has vowed to mobilize the disabled people to fight for their rights and be on a high alert not be used by politicians for their own good in the coming elections  

Ekirapa who is blind and also suffers from physical impairment has called on the disabled in Teso to rise up and vie for various seats awarded to them by the cherished new constitution in county government. He disclosed that most of the disabled are intellectuals and given a chance they can serve intelligently.

 He cited corruption deals in recruitment exercise and asked the government to form committee of experts that will be monitoring the process to insure transparency and accountability in the process.

“The state should ensure that every Kenyan is given an opportunity to try his/her fate in the coming police recruitment. The government should give the disabled first priority and desist marginalizing them. This will be achieved through coming up with a commission that will check on corrupt deals that has killed many young talents,” narrated Mr Ekirapa.

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