Special Report
By Ahmed Salat Ali AARAN TV KE political Affair
Nominated Senator Crystal Asige has intensified pressure on the government to operationalise the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, warning that nearly a year after its enactment, the law remains dormant due to the absence of implementing regulations.
Speaking in the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2026, the visually impaired legislator directed her appeal to President William Ruto, urging the Executive to move with urgency on what she termed “low-hanging fruit” that continues to delay justice and inclusion for millions of Kenyans living with disabilities.
“Mr President @WilliamRuto, allow me to re-emphasise one such idea — the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025. It has been law for almost a year and is yet to be operationalised,” Asige stated in a post on X, which she accompanied with video footage of her address in the Senate chamber.
She decried the prolonged delay in drafting and gazetting regulations necessary to implement the Act, noting that persons with disabilities, their parents and caregivers remain locked out of key benefits envisioned under the law.
“Delayed formulation of regulations means people with disabilities, their parents and caregivers are yet to benefit from this Act. Despite countless efforts, no one is sharing clear information. Political goodwill seems to have been lost,” she added.
In a poignant remark that drew attention within and beyond Parliament, Asige declared: “Sisi ni walemavu lakini kura zetu hazina ulemavu” — loosely translated as, “We may be disabled, but our votes are not.”
The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, introduces sweeping reforms aimed at strengthening inclusion and safeguarding the rights of persons with disabilities. Among its key provisions are the restructuring of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, clearer obligations for public institutions to promote accessibility, and incentives such as tax exemptions. The law also enhances protections relating to inclusive education, employment quotas, and accessible public services and infrastructure.
However, without the requisite regulations, many of these provisions remain in abeyance, effectively stalling the transformative agenda Parliament intended to deliver.
Advocacy Beyond Parliament
Beyond the Senate floor, Asige has embarked on sustained advocacy efforts to build awareness and rally support for the law’s full implementation.
In September 2025, she toured Mombasa County, engaging organisations under the Coast Rights umbrella to sensitise communities about the Act and collect feedback from persons with disabilities.
“Implementation begins with awareness, and awareness begins with sensitisation,” she said during the visit.
Her outreach has extended to engagements with the Judiciary and consultations with the Executive aimed at promoting digital accessibility across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The senator has also sponsored
Complementary legislative proposals, including the Kenya Sign Language Bill, the Learners with Disabilities Bill, the Startup Bill, and proposed amendments to transport laws to enhance accessibility in public and private mobility services.
As stakeholders await the gazettement of the regulations, pressure continues to mount on the State to fulfil its constitutional obligation and give life to a law that promises dignity, equity and inclusion for persons with disabilities across the country.
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