• County gender officer Pamela Karimi said there is need to create awareness about inclusivity for people with disabilities.
• Action Network for the Disabled diversity and inclusion officer Collins Ombajo said there is a need to engage people with disabilities in decision-making by employing them.
Image: /FILE
A lobby group, Flone Initiative, has urged matatu Saccos to include people with disabilities in the industry by giving them different roles in offices.
Flone Initiative is an organisation that works towards ending violence against women, girls and vulnerable people in public transport.
Action Network for the Disabled diversity and inclusion officer Collins Ombajo said on Thursday there is a need to engage people with disabilities in decision-making by employing them.
There are various people who are ready to work despite their disability.
"There is need to accommodate them in the development process, they do a good job in collecting fares, calling people to the matatu and they can serve as communication persons. This will help them voice their challenges and opinions easily," Ombajo said.
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung director Bastian Schulz said that the accessibility of public transport service remains a mirage to users with disabilities and the elderly.
He was speaking during the launch of the Accessibility of Public Transport Service in Nairobi Metropolitan Area.
"Since 1994, FES-Kenya has been working with its partners and friends to promote social democracy, social justice, solidarity and socioecological transformation, therefore an urgent need to involve the matatu owners, operators and other stakeholders to achieve accessibility," Schulz said.
County gender officer Pamela Karimi said there is need to create awareness about inclusivity for people with disabilities.
"We all need to join hands and fight for the rights of people with disabilities, treat them with love and sensitivity. The only way to fight abuse is to have a positive attitude towards them and make the public transport disability-friendly," she said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with disabilities account for 15 per cent of the world population. They have lower education achievements, less economic participation and higher poverty rates.
Flone initiative also wants the government to enforce the Nairobi County Transport Act (2020) to ensure matatu owners and operators provide designated seats for people with disabilities and those with mobility challenges.
They also urged matatu owners and operators to develop a robust reporting and complaints mechanism where people can report cases of violence and maltreatment.