The team that accompanied Turkana Desert WheelChair to participate in the competition held in Isiolo County, has called for the establishment of a disability vetting station in Lodwar, Turkana, to save clients from long and expensive travel to Eldoret for tax exemption certificates.
The team said this while attending the NONDO National Disability Conference in Isiolo. The Conference is expected to pave the way for the Desert Wheelchair Competition, in which the Turkana Team is the defending champion for the last two consecutive years (2021 and 2022 titles). Before the entry of Turkana County into the NONDO editions, Isiolo County was the defending champion.
Turkana County Team is participating in the 12th edition of the NONDO Games with a high hope of defending its titles for the third time in a row.
NONDO Games is a four-day event. The first day starts with a conference and the rest of the three days are for sports games, in which, PWDs compete in the Desert Wheelchair Race.
In his remarks, the Turkana County Chair, of the PWD Board, Lucas Lokusi, said that the reliance on Eldoret as the region’s vetting center, more often than not, disadvantaged the Turkana PWDs, owing to long distance and logistical challenges.
Lokusi asked the National Council of Persons With Disability (NCPWD) to consider building a partnership with Turkana County, that would allow the State Agency that vet and issues tax exemption certificate without necessarily traveling to Eldoret or Nairobi.
He thanked Governor Lomorukai for creating an enabling environment for the mainstreaming of disability issues in the County Government by having the PWD Board in place.
Turkana PWD Board lauded NONDO Organisation which brings together PWDs from 12 ASAL Counties to participate in nurturing their talents in sporting activities.
He said such sporting activities by NONDO would facilitate the abled-differently access to education, health and rehabilitation, governance, and economic empowerment.
During the meeting, issues relating to parenthood and education of children with disabilities, access to opportunities, the declining enrolment of PWDs, and rights violations were deliberated upon.
This year’s Conference theme; “Promoting climate justice, empowering marginalized communities in climate change mitigation efforts,” was attended by a number of delegates drawn from the 12 Counties.
The Turkana team participating in the 12th edition of the NONDO Desert Wheelchair Competition was flagged off last October on Tuesday, by the County Executive Committee Member for Education, Sports, and Social Protection, Leah Audan.
James Ekanyuku, Simon Ariong, Benson Ebei, and Concepta Longole attended the Conference
