Kenya has taken a decisive step toward building a more inclusive society with the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, a sweeping law that redefines how the country understands, protects and promotes the rights of persons with disabilities. But as legal experts and disability rights advocates warn, passing the law is only half the work.
The real challenge now lies in educating Kenyans—from classrooms and villages to boardrooms and county offices—on what the law means and how it should change everyday life.
The Act, which came into force in May 2025, gives effect to Article 54 of the Constitution and sets out clear obligations for national and county governments, employers, schools, service providers and the wider public.
It recognizes disability not as a personal tragedy, but as a social issue shaped by barriers in the environment, attitudes and systems.
For decades, misconceptions and stigma have kept many Kenyans with disabilities on the margins of society. Cultural beliefs, lack of information and harmful stereotypes have often resulted in exclusion from education, employment and public life.
The new law directly confronts this reality by emphasizing awareness raising and public participation as key pillars of reform. It calls on state institutions, civil society, the media and communities themselves to promote respect for human dignity, equality and non-discrimination.
Education is not just about knowing the law exists, it is about changing how people think—how a teacher treats a learner with a disability, how an employer views a job applicant, and how a neighbour relates to a child with special needs.
One of the most transformative aspects of the Act is its strong emphasis on inclusive education. It guarantees every child with a disability the right to free and compulsory basic education and prohibits exclusion from any learning institution on the basis of disability.
Educating Kenyans, therefore, must begin in schools. Teachers need training on inclusive teaching methods, parents need information on their children’s rights, and learners without disabilities must be taught the values of respect and inclusion from an early age.
The Act, which came into force in May 2025, gives effect to Article 54 of the Constitution and sets out clear obligations for national and county governments, employers, schools, service providers and the wider public.
It recognizes disability not as a personal tragedy, but as a social issue shaped by barriers in the environment, attitudes and systems.
For decades, misconceptions and stigma have kept many Kenyans with disabilities on the margins of society. Cultural beliefs, lack of information and harmful stereotypes have often resulted in exclusion from education, employment and public life.
The new law directly confronts this reality by emphasizing awareness raising and public participation as key pillars of reform. It calls on state institutions, civil society, the media and communities themselves to promote respect for human dignity, equality and non-discrimination.
Education is not just about knowing the law exists, it is about changing how people think—how a teacher treats a learner with a disability, how an employer views a job applicant, and how a neighbour relates to a child with special needs.
One of the most transformative aspects of the Act is its strong emphasis on inclusive education. It guarantees every child with a disability the right to free and compulsory basic education and prohibits exclusion from any learning institution on the basis of disability.
Educating Kenyans, therefore, must begin in schools. Teachers need training on inclusive teaching methods, parents need information on their children’s rights, and learners without disabilities must be taught the values of respect and inclusion from an early age.
The law also promotes the use of assistive technologies, Braille and Kenyan Sign Language, making inclusivity a practical reality rather than a slogan.
Under the Act, county governments are tasked with identifying persons with disabilities, coordinating information on available programmes, and allocating resources to targeted interventions. This places counties at the heart of public education efforts.
Local forums, barazas, faith-based gatherings and community health outreach programmes are emerging as effective platforms for spreading awareness. When information is delivered in local languages and accessible formats, it becomes easier for communities to understand both their rights and responsibilities.
The law recognizes the media as a critical partner in education. Television stations are required to provide sign language interpretation and closed captioning for news and major national events, ensuring that information reaches all citizens.
Beyond compliance, journalists are being urged to tell more stories of persons with disabilities—not as objects of pity, but as active citizens, professionals, leaders and innovators. Positive representation, experts say, can do as much to educate the public as any legal text.
Digital platforms and mobile technology also present new opportunities. Accessible websites, talking software and inclusive mobile money services help normalize accessibility and reinforce the message that inclusion benefits everyone.
Perhaps the most urgent education gap lies among duty bearers—employers, public officers, service providers and law enforcement agencies. The Act sets clear penalties for discrimination, denial of access and abuse, but enforcement depends on knowledge.
Workplace sensitization programmes, public service training and clear guidelines are essential to ensure compliance. Employers, for instance, must understand their obligation to reserve at least five percent of jobs for persons with disabilities and to provide reasonable accommodation.
Ultimately, educating Kenyans about disability rights is not a one-off campaign but a continuous national project. It requires collaboration between government, civil society, families, schools, the private sector and persons with disabilities themselves.
As Kenya implements the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, the message is clear: inclusion is not charity, it is justice. And education—broad, sustained and accessible—is the bridge between the promise of the law and the lived reality of millions of Kenyans.
Under the Act, county governments are tasked with identifying persons with disabilities, coordinating information on available programmes, and allocating resources to targeted interventions. This places counties at the heart of public education efforts.
Local forums, barazas, faith-based gatherings and community health outreach programmes are emerging as effective platforms for spreading awareness. When information is delivered in local languages and accessible formats, it becomes easier for communities to understand both their rights and responsibilities.
The law recognizes the media as a critical partner in education. Television stations are required to provide sign language interpretation and closed captioning for news and major national events, ensuring that information reaches all citizens.
Beyond compliance, journalists are being urged to tell more stories of persons with disabilities—not as objects of pity, but as active citizens, professionals, leaders and innovators. Positive representation, experts say, can do as much to educate the public as any legal text.
Digital platforms and mobile technology also present new opportunities. Accessible websites, talking software and inclusive mobile money services help normalize accessibility and reinforce the message that inclusion benefits everyone.
Perhaps the most urgent education gap lies among duty bearers—employers, public officers, service providers and law enforcement agencies. The Act sets clear penalties for discrimination, denial of access and abuse, but enforcement depends on knowledge.
Workplace sensitization programmes, public service training and clear guidelines are essential to ensure compliance. Employers, for instance, must understand their obligation to reserve at least five percent of jobs for persons with disabilities and to provide reasonable accommodation.
Ultimately, educating Kenyans about disability rights is not a one-off campaign but a continuous national project. It requires collaboration between government, civil society, families, schools, the private sector and persons with disabilities themselves.
As Kenya implements the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, the message is clear: inclusion is not charity, it is justice. And education—broad, sustained and accessible—is the bridge between the promise of the law and the lived reality of millions of Kenyans.
