By Phares Mutembei and Munene Kamau

Former President Moi has called for the support of people with mental disabilities.The retired Head of State was speaking at the Kenya Society for the Mentally Handicapped where he flagged off a walk to raise money to begin a carers fund.

"Majority of the mentally handicapped are young people. I hope the Government will make a contribution to support their cause. We should support them by action," he said

The carers will be trained and paid Sh3,000 per month to look after persons with mental disabilities. About Sh1,500 for essential therapies for those under their care will also be given.

During the event, Moi helped to raise more than Sh2 million in an impromptu fundraiser.

He urged the relevant authorities to use money from a national fund he initiated during his tenure to uplift living standard of those with mental disability.

The charity event, attended by MPs, diplomats, corporate bodies and Kenyans from walks of life coincided with celebrations to mark World Mental Health Day.

Gender Minister Esther Murugi thanked Moi for his long time support of people with disabilities.

She said the Government had a Sh200 million fund. She appealed to the Ministry of Planning to provide statistics of people with disabilities from the recent census "so that they can be taken care of."

The Standard Group Managing Director Paul Wanyagah pledged the company’s continuous support for the mentally handicapped.

"Physically disabled people can be supported to do business but the mentally disabled need support throughout. They are very vulnerable indeed," he said.

Wanyagah urged the Government to put the mentally disabled –– numbering 3.5 million –– in a special category to adequately address their plight.

Several employees of the Standard Group including KTN participated in the walk.

In Embu, the Director of the Association for the Physically Disabled, Hubert Seifert, urged the Government to operationalise the Disabled Act passed in 2003.

Dr Seifert urged the Government to release Sh200 million meant to assist people with disabilities.

He said the money allocated in this year’s budget had not been released due to lack of a board to manage the fund.

The director presided over the laying of a foundation stone for a Sh5 million workshop.

Once completed in January, it will have a health centre to cater for persons with disability from Embu, Meru South, Mbeere, Kirinyaga and Nyeri districts.

It will manufacture wheel chairs, walking aids, shoes and other items.

Seifert said the association would soon be able to sustain itself once more such facilities are provided in various countrywide.

Area DC Maalim Mohamed said people with disabilities would be given more consideration in Government jobs.