Delayed laws is a life denied for special needs persons

Persons with disabilities [iStockphoto]

For far too long, Kenya has perfected the art of passing progressive laws and then abandoning them at the implementation stage. 

The continued delay in operationalising the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, is not just bureaucratic inefficiency; it is institutional discrimination against millions of Kenyans living with disabilities.

One year after the law was assented to by President William Ruto, persons with disabilities are still waiting for promises of inclusion, accessibility, protection, and empowerment to move from paper to reality. 

The delay is unacceptable, cruel, and deeply revealing of how low disability issues rank in the country’s governance priorities.

The Act was hailed as a landmark law meant to guarantee accessibility standards, improve transport systems, strengthen employment protections, and enhance social and economic inclusion for persons with disabilities. 

Yet today, nothing substantial has changed. Public buildings remain inaccessible, many transport systems are hostile to PWDs, unemployment among disabled Kenyans remains painfully high, and discrimination continues unchecked.

Nominated Senator Crystal Asige was right to express frustration when she stated that the law is being treated “like a suggestion.” That statement captures the painful reality facing PWDs in Kenya. 

When Parliament passes laws protecting investors, taxes, or political interests, implementation is swift and ruthless. 

But when the matter concerns dignity and rights of vulnerable citizens, endless delays suddenly become acceptable.
This is not merely an administrative failure; it is a moral failure.

The Executive cannot continue hiding behind excuses of policy alignment, regulations, or budgetary processes. Ministries have had an entire year to prepare frameworks needed to activate the law. 

Their failure demonstrates a dangerous lack of urgency. Weak policy alignment, poor prioritisation, and lack of political goodwill continue to sabotage progress.

The silence surrounding the stalled implementation is equally disturbing. Kenya only remembers persons with disabilities during commemorations, charity drives, or political speeches. 

Beyond that, society largely ignores their daily struggles. This culture of tokenism must end. 
Disability rights are not acts of charity. They are constitutional rights.

What message does the government send when a duly enacted law can sit idle for a year without consequences? It tells PWDs that their rights can wait; it tells parents raising children with disabilities that their children are not urgent enough. 

It tells employers, schools, and institutions that inclusion is optional, but that is dangerous.
A civilised society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. 

Kenya cannot continue branding itself as progressive while millions of disabled citizens remain locked out of opportunities because government agencies refuse to act.

The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, must be fully operationalised immediately. Budget allocations must follow. 
Regulations must be gazetted. Ministries must be held accountable. Anything less amounts to betrayal.

For persons with disabilities, delayed implementation is not a technicality; it is a daily sentence to exclusion, indignity, and lost opportunity.