By Jeff Kizzilah/Digital Editor
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have intensified demands for full inclusion in Kenya’s political, economic and social life ahead of the 2027 General Election, unveiling a comprehensive 10-point agenda aimed at securing meaningful representation and equal participation in governance.
Speaking during a Persons with Disabilities Breakfast Forum held in Nairobi in collaboration with Government Spokesperson Hon. Isaac Mwaura, disability rights leaders called for urgent reforms to address decades of exclusion and underrepresentation of persons with disabilities in leadership and decision-making positions.
Joseph Atella, Executive Director of the Consortium of Disabled Persons Organizations in Kenya (CDPOK), said persons with disabilities remain among the most marginalized groups in civic and political spaces despite constitutional protections and years of advocacy.
“At a time when Kenya is advancing democratic governance, millions of citizens living with disabilities continue to face barriers that limit their participation in political processes and public life,” Atella said.
He cited inaccessible polling stations, limited civic education materials in accessible formats, communication barriers and persistent negative societal attitudes as key obstacles preventing many persons with disabilities from fully participating in elections and governance.
Atella noted that the Constitution of Kenya 2010 provides a strong legal foundation for inclusion through Articles 27, 54, 99 and 100, which guarantee equality, non-discrimination, dignity, education, communication and political participation for persons with disabilities. He urged the government to fully implement constitutional provisions and disability laws to ensure legal protections translate into real opportunities.
He further emphasized the importance of economic empowerment, calling for increased participation of persons with disabilities in trade, entrepreneurship, employment and national development programs. He also urged national and county governments to expand access to assistive technologies, healthcare, social protection programs and inclusive education.
On the recently enacted Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, Atella described the legislation as a landmark achievement and called for the immediate development of regulations to operationalize the law.
The forum unveiled a 10-point disability inclusion agenda, which leaders described as the minimum demands that should be addressed before the 2027 General Election.
Nominated MCA for Persons with Disabilities in Nandi County, Hon. Bridgit Songok, called for greater representation of persons with disabilities in senior government positions, including Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Ambassadors and other top leadership offices.
“Since independence, no person with a disability has ever been appointed to serve as a Cabinet Secretary. This must change if Kenya is serious about inclusion,” Songok stated.
She also called for improved disability data collection, enforcement of the constitutional requirement reserving at least five percent of public opportunities for persons with disabilities, expanded access to affirmative action funds and targeted support for entrepreneurs with disabilities.
Additionally, Songok advocated for enhanced support for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities through tax incentives and strengthened social protection measures.
Among the key proposals was the establishment of a structured framework guaranteeing disability representation in Parliament, county assemblies and the Executive, as well as the appointment of at least one County Executive Committee Member and a dedicated disability director in every county government.
The leaders further demanded increased funding for disability sports and the reinstatement of the Disability Inclusion Coordinating Committee to strengthen coordination between electoral agencies and disability stakeholders ahead of future elections.
Veteran disability rights advocate Dr. Samuel Kabue, a former member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said Kenya possesses one of the strongest disability rights legal frameworks in Africa but continues to struggle with implementation.
Kabue noted that disability advocacy has evolved from a charity-based approach to a human rights model that recognizes persons with disabilities as rights holders entitled to equal opportunities.
He called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to reinstate the Disability Inclusion Coordinating Committee and oversee accessibility measures throughout the electoral process.
Kabue also challenged political parties to formally recognize disability caucuses within their structures to ensure disability issues are reflected in party policies, leadership positions and candidate nomination processes.
Expressing concern over continued underrepresentation, he noted that more than 20 counties failed to nominate disability representatives in previous elections and called for legal reforms to guarantee minimum representation thresholds for persons with disabilities in Parliament and county assemblies.
The disability rights leaders announced plans to intensify engagement with the IEBC, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, political parties and other stakeholders as preparations for the 2027 General Election gather momentum.
They maintained that meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities is not a privilege but a constitutional right that must be fully realized through political representation, economic empowerment and equal access to opportunities.
