Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has called on all 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, who is also the Executive Director of the KEJUDE Trust, pointed out that persons with disabilities are citizens, innovators, workers, leaders and contributors whose potential enriches the nation.
Omtatah's statement coincided with the official United Nations date for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year's theme was 'Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress'.
Omtatah highlighted the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2025, introduced earlier this year to 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.
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.
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 emphasised that inclusion must reach the grassroots level.
“Inclusion must begin at the community level in our villages, towns, markets, schools, hospitals, transport systems, and workplaces,” he wrote.
He added that accessibility must not remain an afterthought, representation must go beyond symbolism, and equality must become a lived reality for persons with disabilities.
The post also noted that the International Day of Persons with Disabilities serves as a reminder that Kenya’s development cannot be just or meaningful if any segment of the population is excluded.
