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Embrace Inclusion organized a forum to do a recollection of significant changes impacted by the pre-election inclusive election programs. The meeting was attended by DPO leaders from the beneficiary sub counties, IEBC sub county educators, election observers and Action Network for the Disabled educator and was held at Chania Tourist Lodge hall, Thika.

Discussions

The main point of discussions were centered on whether the trainings by ANDY and Embrace Inclusion did have any impact on PWDs in both understanding of the voting process, PWDs rights and whether there was confidence among members in their respective DPOs towards participation of the upcoming general elections.

The highlight changes witnessed included the following;

1. E.B.C sending its officers to meet PWD groups and educate them on the voting procedures
2. Due to greater awareness created through sessions, they were able to know their rights to education, where and how to demand them
3. They had helped a lot of their members who previously didn’t believe in electoral process register as voters and be ready to participate.
4. Through the sessions, candidates vying for different seats met them which gave the DPOs a much clear audience with them hence able to choose their candidates as groups depending on the visions towards PWDs.
5. Through the awareness created some of their members presented their credentials to be considered by I.E.B.C for different job positions that were available within the commission to conduct the elections.

Though stakeholders do agree that there have been positive and identifiable transformation in both ends of PWDs and the commission through education and recognition respectively, there are still challenges that needed to be addressed like proper allocation of job opportunities and  I.E.B.C educators unavailability in some areas  which led to information reaching late.

They all hailed the impact created by both sides in educating their members and the awareness created through the forums held in their areas.

It was agreed that trainings should be held much earlier before the elections to be able to reach out more people in much remote and interior areas.

They were all thankful to both embrace inclusion and Andy for facilitating the trainings and hailed the impact created.