20 years of including people with disabilities in governance and public life

On October 28, 2004, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities was officially appointed following the approval of Law No. 14 on Persons with Disabilities on December 31, 2003.

Ten years had passed since Attorney General Amos Wako formed a task force led by Justice Emanuel Okubasu to review laws relating to people with disabilities with the aim of drafting a bill of Parliament similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act resembles.

It took a President Mwai Kibaki, sworn in in a wheelchair (due to injury), to enact the first independent legislation for people with disabilities in Kenya.

I had the privilege of being appointed to the Pioneer Executive Board of the NCPWD by Minister Ochilo George Mbogo Ayacko, a 35-year-old lawmaker who had just been sacked from the Energy Department. I was only 22 years old and a third year student at Kenyatta University.

I had just completed my term as a special member, one of the seven elected student leaders of the Kenyatta University Students Association.

Dr. Charles Onindo, a chemistry professor, was appointed chairman, with Lubna Mazrui, a lecturer at KU, as vice-chairman.

She declined the appointment. In fact, I was the de facto vice-chairman.

Other board members included: Paul Njoroge Ben, who later became a senator; Hussein Borle, who became MCA; Chomba Wa Munyi (NGEC Commissioner); Dr. Samuel Tororei, who became a commissioner at both KNCHR and NLC; Tom Gichuhi, Musee, Nicholas Aseso, Tom Omuga, Josephine Sinyo, Ruth Oyier, Maureen Onyango (now a judge), Titus Kilika, Abdullahi Wabera, among others.

The Pioneer Secretariat was led by Acting Director Cecilia Mbaka assisted by Verity Mghanga, Josephine Onyonka (late), Jane Wamugu, Joseph Maleu (late) and Fatma Dullo who is currently Senator for Isiolo County.

Starting from the Sports, Gender and Social Services Department offices then located at Nyayo Stadium, the council was relocated to the Kabete Orthopedic Workshop on November 5, 2004.

It was not an easy journey to give life to legislation that met the wishes of millions of Kenyans who longed to be heard.

This was the first time Kenyans with disabilities were officially recognized in government.

There were certain laws passed as private bills to establish various boards for specific disabilities, but these were not government agencies in the name of a government corporation.

During this period, the country reviewed its constitution under the leadership of Prof. Yash Pal Ghai and Prof. PLO Lumumba.

We have advocated to be included in the process in terms of representation and civic education. Although attempts to create a new constitution failed with the 2005 referendum, the gains from this participation bore fruit, with the 2010 Supreme Law mentioning people with disabilities a record 18 times.

It takes about 20 years to solve a problem or show results from a particular endeavor. The period from 2004 to 2024 was phenomenal.

For a council that started with a budget of a meager Sh7 million to the current budget of Sh1.35 billion, this has been exponential growth.

Specific resources for people with albinism and autism demonstrate the need for tailored interventions for specific types and categories of disabilities.

Twenty years ago, representation of people with disabilities in politics and senior levels of the executive branch was considered alien.

However, today we are represented in both Houses of Parliament, in the Executive at PS level and in MCAs in many of the 47 District Assemblies.

Figures in these roles include PS Josephta Mukhobe, MPs David Ole Sankok, Janet Teyiaa (the second Kajiiado representative), Isaac Mwaura (first MP and senator with albinism), Bishop Robert Mutemi and Timothy Wanyonyi (MP for Westlands in the third term of office). ), Sammy Leshore, Mohammed Shid-ye, Yusuf Hassan, Godliver Omondi, Crystal Asige, Harold Kipchumba, George Mbugua, Bishop Kosgey, among others.

Paramilitary training at the National Youth Service has led to the inclusion of people with disabilities in prisons, the provincial administration and the Kenya Revenue Authority. T

The hosting of beauty pageants such as Mr & Miss Albinism has led to the inclusion of people with albinism in public advertisements on billboards and in the mainstream media.

In fact, we now have Loice Lihanda, the first Miss Albinism in Kenya as a flight attendant with Kenya Airways.

These and many other self-definition activities have contributed significantly to redefining society’s view of people with disabilities.

In fact, in 2017, Goldalyne Kakuya, a young girl with albinism, was the top candidate for the KCPE exam in the entire country.

This alone shattered long-held stereotypes across the country. In sports, great athletes like Henry Wanyoike made people realize that disability is not an inability.

In addition, there have been appointments to constitutional commissions by various administrations that have significantly improved the status of people with disabilities.

Washington Sati served as deputy chairman of the Administrative Justice Commission (Ombudsman), becoming the first deaf person to become a commissioner in Kenya.

Dr. Samuel Tororei was once acting chairman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, before Lawrence Mute as pioneer commissioner.

Others who have served on other commissions include Simon Ndubai, Twahir Mbarak, Kibaya Laibuta and Michael Mbithuka (new NGEC).

In the next article we will go into more detail about the progress made, because 20 years is not a short time.

A child born 20 years ago may be a second year student at university.