The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), in partnership with the County Government of Kitui and Hope Mobility Kenya, has launched a three-day outreach programme at the Kitui Agricultural Training Centre to expand access to wheelchairs and essential assistive devices for persons with disabilities.
The initiative was officially launched by Hon. Phoebe Mutemi, CECM for Culture, Gender, Youth, ICT, Sports and Social Services, alongside Mr Michael Panther, Founder and CEO of Hope Mobility Kenya. The programme combines assistive device provision, government registration, and psychosocial support. According to the World Health Organization, fewer than 10 per cent of persons with disabilities in Kenya have access to assistive devices they need. The programme responds to documented rights violations across Kitui County, where persons with disabilities face barriers to healthcare, education, and employment.
NGEC is conducting rights awareness sessions on the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025. The county also announced plans to establish a disability fund to sustain the initiative.
"The journey to full inclusion is long, but today, in Kitui, we have shown that when government, civil society, and communities come together, lives can be transformed," said Dr. Moses Saranta NGEC Kitui regional head.
