29. Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2023

Bills seek to provide for an institutional framework for protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities as well as providing incentives and reliefs to such persons.

There are two bills for persons with disabilities:

i) Persons with Disabilities Bill 2023 (Senate Bill No 7 of 23)

Quick link: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/bill/senate/2023/7/eng@2023-02-20

This Bill originated from the Senate. The Senate passed it with amendments on 21st February 2024 and referred to the National Assembly. It has so far undergone first reading.

ii) Persons with Disabilities Bill 2023 (National Assembly Bill No 26 of 2023)

Quick link: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/bill/na/2023/77/eng@2023-12-15

This Bill originated in the National Assembly. It was gazetted but is yet to undergo First Reading.

Both Bills seek to provide an institutional framework for protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities as well as providing incentives and reliefs to such persons. It is therefore our recommendation that the bills are consolidated.

There is also a Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Bill 2023 that seeks to amend the Persons with Disabilities Act 2003 to require the National Council for Persons with Disabilities to specify the type of disability when recognizing persons with disabilities in their system and to use dignified language in the registration and certificate of persons with disabilities.