MP calls for tax and levy exemptions for the disabled
Nyeri Woman Representative, Rahab Mukami, has urged the county government of Nyeri to waive all taxes and levies charged on persons with disabilities (PWDs) in line with the provisions of the 2022 Nyeri Disability Act.
According to Mukami, it is unfair to subject the already vulnerable population to the long and tedious vetting process before issuing a tax and levy waiver certificate.
She argued that the main purpose of the exemptions was to offer relief to the PWDs adding that the vetting procedure that takes months undermines the support it is supposed to offer.
According to the Regulations of 2022 Nyeri Disability Act, the Nyeri County Government has the authority to waive various county fees and charges for PWDs, including single business permits and market fees.
But to benefit from the waiver, the individual must be registered with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD). The beneficiary must also formally apply for the exemption.
“I am urging the Nyeri county government to set the example by becoming the first county to fully implement the provisions of the Nyeri Disability Act so that we can empower the PWDs and they are able to continue with their lives. Remember most of them are parents and if we do that, they will be able to engage in economic activities and fend for their children,” said Mukami.
The Woman Representative spoke at the PCEA Muhito church in Mukurwe-ini on Wednesday afternoon during celebrations to mark International Day for PWDs. She donated more than 20 wheelchairs, mattresses and blankets for children with cerebral palsy and the elderly PWDs. She also donated food items and charcoal jikos for the PWD community in Mukuwre-ini.
