Persons with disabilities in Nakuru staged a protest demanding answers from the county government over the delayed disbursement of the Nakuru County Disability Fund, which they say has left thousands of beneficiaries without critical support.

The disability community claims the annual Sh 27.5 million allocations has not been disbursed for the past four years, translating to about Sh110 million that they now want the county government to account for.

Nakuru disability community march on the streets demanding answers from the county government over the delayed disbursement of the Nakuru County Disability Fund for the past four years

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

The group submitted a petition to Nakuru County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura, seeking an update on the status of the fund and its inclusion in the 2026/2027 supplementary budget.

Through their leadership, the group says it was also agreed that the fund would be allocated at ward level through ward disability fund kitties to ensure persons with disabilities benefit directly in their respective wards.

However, Nakuru County PWD Coordinator, Job Sishoka, accused the county government of failing to provide clear information on the budget allocation and disbursement of the fund for the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 financial years.

“The failure to release the funds has significantly affected people living with disabilities, denying them access to financial support, support for caregivers and assistive devices that could improve their livelihoods. All along these funds were meant to empower persons living with disability, however, they are being excluded,” Sishoka lamented.

Nakuru County PWD Coordinator, Job Sishoka, accuses the county government of failing to provide clear information on the budgeted Nakuru County Disability Fund

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Additionally, he noted other concerns included lack of progressive employment of PWDs in Nakuru, awarding of tender to this group and availability of bursaries.

Another PWD member Veronica Wambui, adds that they are also being exempted from waivers that would benefit PWDs owning businesses. She noted that some of these businesses are run by acquiring loans, therefore missing waiver affects how they could acquire the business licenses affecting their access to loans.

The community is now demanding explanation from the county government on whether the fund has been included in the approved 2026/2027 budget, disclose the amount allocated and provide a clear timeline for disbursement.

“This 27.5 million is meant to be disbursed in the 55 wards averaging to sh 500,000 each ward annually. At the moment the PWD population in Nakuru is about 27,000, why would a government want to oppress us, yet we are a minority group in Nakuru’s population,” Wambui questioned.

A Nakuru PWD member breaks into tears as they march on the streets demanding answers from the county government over the delayed annual 27.5 million disbursement of the Nakuru County Disability Fund for the past four years.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Nakuru County Executive Committee Member for Gender and Social Inclusivity Elga Riaga acknowledges that the fund has not been disbursed during the four-year period.

Riaga says the county plans to include the fund in the supplementary budget, which she expects to be processed by November, with disbursement targeted for December.

“I am waiting for the supplementary budget, which will be done quite early, I think by November. By December, before they go for Chrismas they should have the items we procured when the budget is in,” Riaga said.

She says the county will explore ways of compensating for the years when the fund was not available, although it may not be possible to simply multiply the annual allocation by four.

“We cannot allocate the 27.5 million times four, but we can elevate it so that we can procure more items, assistive devices beyond the 27.5 million,” she said.

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Persons Living with Disability protest over Nakuru county’s delayed disbursement of Sh 110 million fund

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Purity Kinuthia