Electoral commission asked to ease voting process for disabled people
Kepher Otieno
Persons living with disabilities yesterday asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries commission (IEBC) to improve access to all polling stations to enable them vote in next year’s election.
They said that lack of wheelchair ramps, low-level booths and ballot papers in large print could deny many people with disabilities a chance to vote.
Nominated MP Dennitah Ghati, who represents People living with disability in Parliament, said all voters should be catered for.
“We want IEBC to take care of all cadres of voters,’’ she said.
Ghati observed that many buildings have no ramps and asked election officials to make arrangements that will ensure voters with disabilities can access voting centres.
The MP pledged to push for the enactment of a law that will provide alternative provisions for people living with disabilities during elections.
Ghati also said that despite most persons living with disability vying for positions in elections, few of them are elected.
Speaking to People Daily in Migori town, Ghati said she was confident that voters will judge candidates based on their policies and agenda, their party loyalty or physical looks notwithstanding.
In the 2013 General Election, Ghati won the Migori Woman Representative seat by landslide but lost it in the 2017 polls. She was, however, nominated to represent people living with disabilities.
In 2014, Ghati was involved in a road accident at Ntulele town in Narok County while heading to Nairobi. She has been using a wheelchair since.
