Government institutions could face new requirements to make public information accessible to persons with disabilities, under guidelines being developed by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Disability Rights.
Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Disability Rights Isaac Mwaura wants government institutions to redesign their communication channels to ensure people with disabilities can access public service recruitment notices, state tenders and announcements on essential services.
He raised the concerns during a roadmap validation forum on digital and information and communications technology (ICT) accessibility at the Kenya School of Government on October 30.
Mwaura observed that inaccessible communication excludes persons with disabilities from important government processes, limiting their ability to participate in public life and access opportunities available to other citizens.
He noted that information is a fundamental resource for public participation and should be accessible to everyone.
Government institutions should make information available in formats that accommodate different disabilities rather than expect affected individuals to find alternative ways of obtaining it.
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To address the problem, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Disability Rights (ODIDR) is developing inclusive communication guidelines to guide government institutions in making public information accessible.
The proposed guidelines will provide for sign-language interpretation, captioning, accessible digital documents, voice narration and simplified information formats.
The measures are intended to improve access for people with hearing, visual, intellectual and other disabilities, particularly when engaging with official announcements, notices and digital government services.
Mwaura also linked the initiative to President William Ruto's directive to reinstate disability mainstreaming as a core performance indicator across ministries, departments and agencies.
He urged public institutions to make disability inclusion part of their operations rather than limit it to policy commitments.
During the same forum, Gender, Culture and Children Services Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo called on government institutions to incorporate accessibility into their planning, budgeting, procurement, communication and management of digital systems.
She cited the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, as a legal foundation for advancing disability rights and strengthening institutional accountability.
National Council for Persons with Disabilities Chief Executive Officer Dr Munene Michael also called on public institutions to appoint accessibility focal persons at director level, conduct comprehensive audits and develop funded plans to address identified gaps.