By Eddah Waithaka
The United Kingdom Government today joined the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mercy Wanjau and the African Disability Forum (ADF) at a regional disability summit in Nairobi to address the pressing challenges facing persons with disabilities (PWD) in Africa.
The Summit, themed “Persons with Disabilities in a Post-Pandemic World,” serves as a critical platform to highlight issues affecting PWD in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and set the stage for meaningful discussions ahead of the Global Disability Summit scheduled for April 2025.
Speaking at the event, Cabinet Secretary Mercy Wanjau applauded the Africa Disability Forum. She said, “Together with the United Kingdom, which launched the first Disability Summit in 2018, we remain committed to the inclusion of people with disabilities. I applaud the Africa Disability Forum for convening this forum, which calls us to an important moment of reflection. Prioritizing accessibility and equity in a post-pandemic world will undoubtedly make a meaningful contribution to a shared future.”
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“Following our last Census in 2019, 2.2 % of Kenyans, representing about 900,000
people live with some form of disability. Disability inclusion is therefore a prerequisite in achieving Vision 2030.
As Chair of the e-Citizen Implementation Committee, I am proud to share that following our 2023 accessibility audit of the e-Citizen platform and State House website, key improvements are being implemented to address challenges people with disability face when accessing the internet and government digital platforms.
“Following our last Census in 2019, 2.2 % of Kenyans, representing about 900,000
people live with some form of disability. Disability inclusion is therefore a prerequisite in achieving Vision 2030.
As Chair of the e-Citizen Implementation Committee, I am proud to share that following our 2023 accessibility audit of the e-Citizen platform and State House website, key improvements are being implemented to address challenges people with disability face when accessing the internet and government digital platforms,” stated Wanjau.
“Today’s demonstration showcases our progress in ensuring all Kenyans, including those with disabilities, can access these vital government services,” the Cabinet to the Secretary added.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Jacqueline Owigo, Social Development Advisor at the British High Commission, said, “As we look forward to the third Global Disability Summit next year, the need for
has never been more urgent. Governments, the private sector, civil society and Governments, the private sector, civil society and international partners must come together to create a more inclusive and equitable society.”
“Through the UK-funded Inclusive Futures initiative, led by Sight Savers and the International Disability Alliance, we have supported people with disabilities and organizations to advocate for improved policies and increased funding for inclusive education in Kenya. County governments have committed £1.8 million (KES300 million) to develop more than 250 inclusive early childhood development centers by 2027 – giving thousands of children with disabilities a better chance to learn alongside their peers.
with their peers.”
Dr. Owigo also highlighted that through the initiative, the British High Commission has also supported more than 7,500 PWD to build thriving, profitable businesses and secure and stable livelihoods.
and stable livelihoods.
Moses Chege, Sightsavers’ Country Director in Kenya, highlighted the urgency of continued efforts, saying, “Despite some progress in recent years, people with disabilities are still being left behind. As we look towards the Global Disability Summit in Berlin in April 2025, we must urgently turn attention towards people with disabilities – who make up 16 per cent of the world’s population and continue to be more likely to live in poverty and face barriers to education, health care, and employment.”
