Senators raise alarm over slow accessibility upgrades in Mombasa public buildings
By Sharon Atieno, June 18, 2026Senators have raised concern over the slow pace of making public buildings in Mombasa accessible to persons with disabilities, saying delays are denying many Kenyans equal access to government services despite clear legal requirements.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, June 18, 2026, the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, chaired by Sen Julius Murgor (West Pokot), said government agencies must provide firm timelines and move from promises to actual implementation of accessibility upgrades.
The committee was reviewing progress reports from the Mombasa County Assembly and the State Department for Public Works following a petition by disability rights advocate Zedekiah Adika, which highlighted persistent barriers in accessing key public offices.
Rights cannot be achieved through promises – senators
Senators warned that constitutional rights must be implemented through action, not assurances.
“The committee is clear that constitutional rights cannot be realised through promises alone. We need clear timelines and visible progress on the ground,” said Sen Julius Murgor.
They questioned why major public buildings such as Bima Towers, Uhuru na Kazi Building and Mombasa Law Courts were still not fully accessible.
County assembly reports partial progress
Appearing before the committee, Mombasa County Assembly Clerk Salim Juma said some improvements had already been made, including installation of ramps, upgrading of sanitation facilities and relocation of a committee room to the ground floor to improve access.
He said the assembly had also established an Equal Opportunity Office and adopted a disability mainstreaming policy.
“We have taken steps to improve access, including ramps and relocating key services to the ground floor. We are also planning for a lift in the 2026/27 budget,” he said, adding that about KSh13 million has been proposed for the project.
Public Works defends ongoing works
Officials from the State Department for Public Works, led by Principal Secretary Joel Arumonyang, told senators that tenders for lift replacement at Bima Towers were opened on 16th June and are under evaluation.
They also said designs and cost estimates for accessibility upgrades in other buildings are being prepared.
However, senators questioned the slow pace of implementation, saying agencies had failed to provide clear completion schedules.
Calls for accountability and inspections
Lawmakers further raised concern over unresolved ownership of some public buildings, saying this was delaying accountability and funding for accessibility works.
The committee said it would conduct site visits to verify progress, insisting that accessibility must move from policy to reality for persons with disabilities seeking public services.