On May 22, 2021, Jubilee National Vice Chairman David Murathe sparked controversy with his remarks on albinism during a KTNNews 'Crossfire' programme.
According to Murathe, having a skin pigment should be viewed as any other complexion and not as a disability. He went on to say, '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.'
However, the Albinism Society of Kenya has strongly condemned Murathe's remarks, calling them 'uncalled for and in bad taste'. The society has also made a formal complaint against Murathe at the National Cohesion and Integration Commission.
Albinism is a genetic condition caused by a lack of melanin pigment in the skin, which exposes persons with albinism to skin cancer. The society emphasized that Murathe's statement goes against the very definition of albinism and the legal provisions that protect persons with disabilities.
