This archive report was first published on 24 September 2021.
On September 24, 2021, a story emerged about Harrison Kariuki, a deaf man from Kirinyaga County, who is defying the odds to vie for the Member of County Assembly (MCA) seat in the 2022 General Election.
Born deaf in 1990 at Karumandi village in Gichungu constituency, Kirinyaga County, Kariuki is confident that he will bag the MCA seat for Karumaindi Ward.
Despite the challenges he faces due to his disability, Kariuki is not afraid of battling it out with rivals who have hearing abilities and can communicate verbally with the electorate.
His desire to go for the seat is to ensure that livelihoods, including those of People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), get improved.
"I want to ensure that the people of Karumandi and Kirinyaga county at large, including those living with disabilities, have access to better health care services, inclusive vocational training centres," part of Kariuki's manifesto reads.
As a Gender and Development Officer in Nandi County, Kariuki has seen firsthand the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the deaf community, who communicate through lip-reading.
His ability to live and work competitively is attributed to one of his aunts, who advised his parents to enrol him at a special school in his informative years.
In 2018, Kariuki received an In-County Award in London, United Kingdom, for his efforts in empowering the deaf community.
Despite the challenges he faces, Kariuki remains confident in his ability to win the seat, citing his ability to communicate through written messages to the community in his ward.
