VIDEO: Kenyan Director Denied Chinese Visa Over Disability

The Director of Youth Affairs and Vocational training in Nakuru County was denied a visa to China for being disabled.

Josephat Kimemia had been selected to represent his county at a Livelihood and Developement seminar in the Asian country but could not fly out.

Kimemia indicated that after the nomination, he followed all procedures of getting the visa, but was turned away at the Chinese Consulate in Kenya, when a female attendant told him that he was ineligible.

It is reported that the remark was made after he was seen in crutches.

“This is a Chinese funded program and you do not qualify, it was a mistake to nominate you,” Kimemia recollected what he was told at the Consulate.

The decision elicited reaction from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities Chairman, David Ole Sankok, who condemned the move stating:” those who are supposed to go will be stopped first until we clear this issue. If they do not want Kenyans to attend because it is the Chinese Government sponsoring, then let them say it is all Kenyans but let them not use discrimination”.

According to regulations outlined in a travel document, persons who were severely disabled, pregnant and/or suffering from chronic diseases such as high blood pressure did not qualify for the trip.