MURATHE HAS FOUND HIMSELF IN HOT SOUP

The Albinism Society of Kenya has condemned Jubilee Vice-chairperson David Murathe over his remarks against former Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura.

In a statement on May 22, the society referenced Murathe’s sentiments on albinism not being a disability, during an interview on KTN.

“I think Sophia, the pigment of somebody’s skin is not a disability. There is nothing that I can do that Mwaura cannot do, there is nothing that Gachagua can do that Mwaura cannot do, there is nothing that Mwaura can do that we cannot do. In fact, we are going to revisit the definition of persons living with disabilities,” he stated in the interview on May 20.

“Mwaura is not only a Member of Parliament with Albinism representing Persons with Disabilities but is also a role model and mentor to many Persons with Disabilities.

“Questioning his disability, therefore, questions the disability of all persons with Albinism that he identifies with or represents,” the society noted.

The organisation explained that persons with albinism living in Kenya had gone through a struggle to have albinism legally recognized as a disability.

“Advocating for our inclusion in the mainstream society and subsequent recognition as a disability started in the early millennial years. Due to our efforts, the Board of Directors for the National Council for Persons with Disabilities in 2006 adopted an institutional policy that made Albinism a stand-alone category among the categories of disabilities,” they observed.

The incident comes months after almost similar utterances were made by Suna East MP Junet Mohammed who claimed that Mwaura ‘bleached’ his skin so that he could be nominated to parliament.

The MP was later forced to issue an apology after his remarks on albinism caused widespread uproar.

In a statement, the MP noted that his comments were taken out of context, and added that he had no intention of attacking demeaning or attacking people living with albinism.

The society has since made a complaint against Junet at the National Cohesion and Integration Commission.

By Kenyans.co.ke