The government, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, has allocated Sh250 million in 2025 to enhance the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs Principal Secretary Joseph Motari announced that the funding will support education, economic empowerment, and assistive technologies for individuals with disabilities.
"Kenya is scaling up its economic inclusion efforts by allocating over Sh250 million this year towards education support, economic empowerment, and assistive technology," said Motari.
He revealed this during the 18th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in New York.
The PS also highlighted the implementation of the 2023-27 Strategic Plan, which prioritises awareness, socio-economic empowerment, and digital inclusion for persons with disabilities.
According to Motari, approximately 63,000 households are benefiting from government cash transfer programs, receiving monthly stipends of Sh2,000.
Of these, over 20,000 beneficiaries are supported under the Autism and Developmental Disabilities programme.
In 2024, the government distributed around 4,200 assistive devices and awarded 2,500 scholarships to learners with disabilities.
To improve access to healthcare, the Principal Secretary noted that Kenya’s new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) now covers assistive technology, rehabilitation, and long-term care.
SHIF is also collecting essential disability-disaggregated data to inform policy and planning.
“We continue to invest in accessible infrastructure, vocational training, and public awareness campaigns, including sign language training for frontline workers,” he added.
Motari emphasised Kenya’s commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, citing the enactment of a revised Persons with Disabilities Act and the National Disability Policy in 2025.
These frameworks, he said, align with the CRPD and the African Charter Protocol, ensuring inclusive planning, budgeting, and service delivery across all levels of government.
He further noted the government's efforts to scale up disability rights advocacy, promote inclusive education, and champion a 15 per cent international cooperation target for disability inclusion.
He added that Kenya has institutionalised participatory budgeting to better reflect the needs of persons with disabilities.
“We call on all States Parties to accelerate the implementation of the CRPD, invest in inclusive innovation, and uphold the dignity and leadership of persons with disabilities in every sector,” Motari stated.
