Power to the People: Push for PWD Inclusion Picks Pace in Nakuru

Commission champions disability rights by submitting key memorandum to align Nakuru laws with the Constitution and foster inclusive governance.

In a move to advance disability rights and foster inclusive governance, the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has submitted a detailed memorandum on the Nakuru County Disability Act, 2016 and the proposed Nakuru County Persons with Disability (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The document was formally presented by Mr Lewis Mwaniki, NGEC's Nakuru Regional head, during a recent public participation forum in Nakuru County.

The memorandum seeks to amplify the voices of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), align county laws with Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, and embed inclusivity in decision-making structures. This comes at a time when PWDs remain critically underrepresented, with only 2.5% of County Assemblies nationwide reflecting adequate representation—despite PWDs comprising approximately 2.2% of the Kenyan population, according to the 2019 National Census.

“The Constitution is clear about the right of every Kenyan to participate in governance. This memorandum challenges the status quo and calls for transformative legal reforms at the county level,” said Mr Mwaniki during the presentation.

The Commission’s submission includes proposed legal alignments, provisions for accessible public infrastructure, affirmative action mechanisms, and enhanced accountability frameworks for the protection and promotion of disability rights in Nakuru County.

NGEC's memorandum also outlines strategic recommendations on the collection of disaggregated data, budgetary allocations for disability programmes, and the integration of universal design principles in county development planning. It urges the county assembly to harmonise the draft amendment bill with the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2003, and Kenya’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

The Commission further highlighted the urgent need for political goodwill and inter-agency collaboration to break systemic barriers that continue to marginalise PWDs. It pointed out that meaningful inclusion must go beyond tokenism to institutional reform.

NGEC's involvement underscores its mandate to oversee the implementation of equality and non-discrimination principles, with a special focus on Special Interest Groups (SIGs), including PWDs, women, youth, children, older persons, minorities, and marginalised groups.

(Left) Participants during a stakeholder forum (Right) NGEC Head of Nakuru Region Lewis Mwaniki makes submissions