Senate set to pass bill granting tax relief to parents of children with disabilities

Parents and caregivers of children with disabilities are set to receive significant tax relief when the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Bill, 2023, is passed by the Senate and passed into law.

The bill, sponsored by Nominated Senator Crystal Asige, promises to ease the financial burden on families caring for children with disabilities.

The bill's introduction has been met with gratitude and hope from parents and caregivers.

Christine Mungai, a mother with a child suffering from severe cerebral palsy, expressed her appreciation for the initiative.

“I appeal to parents with disabled children not to hide them. They are not a curse. They will get assistance once we bring them out, let us not discriminate against them,” said Mungai.

Similarly, Abdalla Shaaban, a father with a mentally challenged son, emphasised the importance of community awareness. “The community should be sensitised not to discriminate against PLWDs,” he urged.

Abdalla highlighted the need for governmental support in educating parents about the resources and support available to them.

Big relief

Distributing cooking items worth Sh120,000 to parents of children with disabilities, Senator Asige highlighted the significance of the bill.

“Enacting this bill will be a big relief to suffering parents,” she stated. Asige's empowerment programme, dubbed the Ability Programme, aims to support parents through monthly visits to all six wards in Mombasa, providing resources to help them start small businesses.

Nominated Senator Crystal Asige distributing cooking items to parents of disabled children in Mombasa. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

“This is just the first one, it won’t be the last. We want to inform parents that they are not forsaken and they can do small businesses through cooking items to support their children,” Senator Asige explained.

“I have written in the PWD bill that parents and caregivers should be allowed to get income tax relief of up to Sh150,000,” she revealed. “As PWDs, we have tax exemption, but we have never looked at parents who take care of children with special needs.”

The Senator also addressed the persistent issue of accessibility for Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs).

In collaboration with the Mombasa County Disability Leaders Forum, she has petitioned the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) to evaluate and improve accessibility in Mombasa’s buildings.

“The CEO of NGEC came with his team to Mombasa. He realised that there is a big problem with accessibility, especially in government buildings,” Senator Asige noted.

Additionally, Asige has drafted the Kenya Sign Language Bill, which, once passed, will integrate sign language into the national education curriculum. She is also advocating for the Ministry of Health to bolster efforts in educating families on caring for children with disabilities.