Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has warned that the government will launch a crackdown on buildings and construction sites that do not meet disability accessibility requirements. He said continued non-compliance will no longer be accepted.
Speaking during a Senate plenary session on July 22, Mutua said his Ministry is strengthening enforcement of the Disability Act to ensure that both public and private facilities offer equal access to people with disabilities.
Mutua said his inspection teams will carry out compliance checks across the country and take action against entities that fail to meet legal standards. He added that buildings should be designed to support residents with disabilities, including the installation of ramps and accessible lifts, along with braille markings on elevator buttons to help visually impaired people navigate buildings independently.
“If you have a building, that building needs to be compliant. You need to have ramps, you need to have lifts that a blind person can use by reading the Braille markings on the buttons, as is done in other countries,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary also stated that the enforcement campaign will apply to all institutions, whether they report to the national government, county governments, or independent government agencies.
“So do not be surprised if some buildings are shut down because they have not complied,” he said.
He added that the move is meant to underline the government’s commitment to protecting the rights of people with disabilities and ensuring full implementation of the law.
Mutua Grants Daily Tax Waivers to Make Hearing Aids Cheaper for Kenyans
Mutua also assured lawmakers that the government has taken steps to make assistive devices more affordable. He said his ministry now grants tax waivers for hearing aids to reduce the cost for users.
He explained that individuals or organizations looking to import hearing aids can apply to the Ministry for the waiver, which allows them to bring the devices into the country without paying taxes.
“We were able to lobby, and as a result, now people bringing hearing aids write to my Ministry, and we give them a waiver so they do not pay any taxes. That lowers the price,” he said.
Mutua added that the principal secretary has been authorized to approve the waivers daily, a move he said will help ensure that people who need hearing aids get them more easily. He also indicated that he plans to further streamline the process and will return to Parliament with updates on progress in improving services for people with disabilities.
Separately, CS Mutua dismissed claims of delayed or unpaid salaries for workers at the Talanta Stadium project. He told the Senate that his ministry has not received any formal complaints about wage delays.
“The Ministry had not received any complaints or reports regarding delayed or unpaid wages affecting workers engaged at the Talanta Stadium project,” he said.
Mutua said the Ministry has established mechanisms for receiving and resolving complaints related to delayed or unpaid salaries in accordance with Kenya’s labour laws. He noted that workers can raise such issues under the Employment Act, the Labour Institutions Act, and the Labour Relations Act.
“The Ministry has field offices in all the 47 counties with Labour officers ready to receive and address such reports and/or complaints,” Mutua added.
