Omtatah demands full enforcement of PWDs rights law as Kenya marks Disability Day
By Aloys Michael, December 3, 2025Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has urged county governments to immediately implement the newly enacted Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, as Kenya joins the world in marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
In a post on December 3, 2025, Omtatah said people with disabilities (PWDs) are citizens, innovators, workers, leaders, and contributors whose potential enriches the nation.
“I call upon all 47 county governments, without exception, to urgently operationalise Section 5 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025. This section mandates counties to: develop comprehensive county-level disability inclusion legislation, localise national disability standards for enforcement, ensure meaningful participation of PWDs in governance, guarantee accessible public services, infrastructure, and information, and establish robust county structures to enforce compliance and protect rights,” the X post read in part.
“Persons with disabilities are not objects of sympathy; they are citizens, innovators, workers, leaders, and contributors whose potential enriches the fabric of our nation. Let today inspire us to go beyond symbolism and embrace genuine, actionable change.”
The Senator highlighted that the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2025, introduced in early 2025, provide stronger protections and higher accessibility standards, replacing the 2003 Act.
The new Act gives legal effect to Article 54 of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya, which guarantees persons with disabilities equality, reasonable accommodation, and access to services.
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Omtatah stated that the law’s success now depends on action by the county government and urged counties to act on Section 5 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025.
The Disability Act
Moreover, Section 5 requires each county to enact its own disability-inclusion legislation, localise national accessibility guidelines, ensure participation of persons with disabilities in governance, make all public services accessible, and establish enforcement and compliance mechanisms.
He specifically directed county assemblies to draft, debate, and pass County Disability Inclusion Bills, ensuring that persons with disabilities are represented, heard, and respected throughout the legislative process.
Omtatah added that accessibility must not remain an afterthought, representation must go beyond symbolism, and equality must become a lived reality for persons with disabilities.
“Inclusion must begin at the community level in our villages, towns, markets, schools, hospitals, transport systems, and workplaces,” he wrote.