Nyandarua County Assembly Making Nyandarua Better
Persons Living with Disabilities in Nyandarua County have a reason to smile after the County Assembly approved the County Bursary Fund Amendment bill (2024) whose purpose was to introduce bursary for affirmative action.
This was as a result of a motion sponsored by the representative of PWDs interests in the House, Hon. Joyce Munyua, on 6th September,2023 which urged the Committee on Education, Children, Gender Affairs, Culture and Social Services to consider proposing an amendment to the Nyandarua County Bursary Fund Act, 2019.
The Committee chaired by Leshau Pondo MCA Hon. Gathungu Kamau later formulated a legislative proposal for introduction to the House.
In the new legislation, Section 5 of the County Bursary Act 2019 has been amended by inserting a new paragraph 5 which reads that “The fund administrator and bursary committee shall ensure that there are funds available for affirmative action for persons living with disability.”
The intention is to mandate the fund administrator to ensure there is fund earmarked for affirmative action. This further gives effect to Article 56 of the Constitution.
Further, section 17 of the principle Act was also amended by inserting a new subsection 2d which states that “An Award of scholarship shall cover the entire period of study of the applicant…”
The intention is to protect learners who are awarded full or partial scholarship and then withdrawn after a term or two without justifiable reasons.
In addition, section 9 of the Act has also been amended to require the fund administrator to publish and publicize the list of all bursary applicants and successful applicants including the amount awarded at the ward offices and on County Website.
The proposal is aimed at emphasizing on the principles envisioned by Section 22 of the principle Act which includes; openness, accessibility and transparency among others.
Among the key stakeholders involved in the process were the Chief Officer for Education, Children, Gender Affairs, Culture and Social Services; the Chairperson for Nyandarua County Association Umbrella body for Persons living with disabilities and the Director for L’Arche Kenya.
