Nairobi: Murang’a County has launched its fourth therapy Centre aimed at enhancing health care by improving services for children with disabilities. The ultra-modern health facility designed to offer specialized care was launched at Maragua level four hospital during celebrations to mark world disability day. Similar establishments have been launched in Kirwara, Muriranjas and Kigumo hospitals.
According to Kenya News Agency, during the event, Murang’a Governor’s spouse Mary Kangata noted that the push for better and affordable therapy centres has been inspired by her own experience as a parent to a child with autism. ‘At the age of three, my child could not talk, she had delayed speech and that is when my journey with therapy started, it is expensive and I understand too well what it takes to raise a child with disability,’ she said. She further mentioned that through therapy, her daughter, a beneficiary of KISE, can now follow instructions and ask for food and she’s even able to say some words and fight for her space, something that was impossible before therapy.
The Director of the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE), Norman Kiogora, called for greater inclusivity of children with disabilities, urging families and communities to involve them in social activities and gatherings. He raised concerns over the increased cases of autism in the country, stating, ‘There are high case of autism and as an institute, we have put together a team of researchers and medics so that we can understand why the cases are rising with each passing day.’
CEO of Ability Therapy Kenya, Duncan Chengo emphasized the need to decentralize essential services, including education and therapy, to the grassroots. He highlighted that the disability act of 2025 recommends taking services to the grassroots level to reach the person at the lowest level. Chengo observed that early intervention is key to helping children with disabilities realize their full potential, noting, ‘Let us invest in early intervention because a child who has been intervened earlier in life has very high chances of thriving.’
East African Legislative Assembly Member of Parliament David Songok called on the national government to safeguard funding allocated to persons with disabilities while urging disability representatives in parliament to continue advocating for their rights. He commended parents who attended the event with their children, saying their efforts help reduce stigma and discrimination while exposing children to opportunities that enable them to thrive. However, Songok pointed out that discrimination remains prevalent in some areas, stating, ‘Let us handle people with disability with dignity: assistive devices go a long way in ensuring that we are not mishandled and I commend the organizations that are ensuring that PWDs live a normal life.’
One of the parents, Josphine Thiong’o, shared her journey with her child who has a disability. She narrated how she realized that her child had a disability at the age of one and a half years. As a first-time mum, she was worried and lost as her boy was very chaotic, breaking items in the house as he crawled. She immediately started the therapy journey, and he uttered his first word at 4 years. Now at 16 years, he is doing well even at school, and she is grateful for the organizations that have supported them.
The county government, in partnership with stakeholders, also distributed assistive devices, including wheelchairs, white canes, and crutches, to hundreds of residents with disabilities who had attended the event. The event was also attended by governor Irungu Kangata amongst other stakeholders.
