24/09/2026
Today, I had the honour of joining stakeholders at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) for the Deaf Awareness Commemoration Day, the flagship event of the national Deaf Awareness Week running from 21–27 September 2026.
We were honoured to have IEBC Commissioner Anne Nderitu officiate the event, with the IEBC supporting participant registration ,an important step towards strengthening accessible and inclusive civic participation.
In my remarks , I reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. The Persons with Disabilities Act provides an important legal foundation for protecting rights and strengthening participation in all spheres of society.
The programme brought together stakeholders from across government and the disability sector, including NCPWD, the Ministry of Education, National Police Service and the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
Among those speaking were Hon. Dr Isaac Mwaura, Head of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Disability Rights, who reaffirmed the Office’s openness to engagement with stakeholders and highlighted ongoing government efforts to strengthen the rights of the Deaf community, including progress on the Kenya Sign Language (KSL) Bill.
We also reflected on the history and experiences of the Deaf community, heard from caregivers and celebrated the remarkable journeys of four Deaf trailblazers whose achievements continue to inspire.
A panel bringing together representatives from IEBC, KISE, the National Police Service, Ministry of Health and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), with support from Safaricom and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), provided an opportunity to discuss practical strategies for advancing inclusion.
Under the theme, “Declaration of Deaf Rights as Human Rights,” today’s commemoration reminded us that inclusion must go beyond recognition. It must be reflected in accessible healthcare, education, justice, technology, employment and civic participation.
As KISE , we remain committed to working with Government, partners, the Deaf community and other stakeholders to advance a Kenya where Deaf persons can fully exercise their rights, participate meaningfully and access opportunities without barriers.
Deaf rights are human rights and Inclusion is a shared responsibility.