The “Accessibility and Mobility project” that aims at advocating for 10% of the fleet of every transport company operating in the country to be accessible to People with disability was launched on Friday evening.
During the launch, participants called for full implementation of the Persons with Disability act of 2003 session paper 14 as well as the United Nation Convention of the rights of PWDs which was ratified in 2008.
Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi who is the chair of the Kenya Disability Parliamentary Association (KEDIPA) regretted that the act has not been fully implemented.
“If you look at the PWD Act of 2003, it addresses the issue of accessibility and it says that it should have been implemented after 5 years. The act is now 15 years and nothing much has been done,” he said.
The MP said accessibility is a right for all Persons with Disability and hence the need to fast- tracks the implementation of the project.
“Inclusivity is not a privilege, it is a right. Accessible transport, environment, roads are a constitutional right to all. If we can solve these issues by planning properly, we can mitigate many challenges in the future”, he said.
The event brought on board key stakeholders including CAS transport chris Obure who was the guest of honor, UN Habitat, ITDP, KHRC,CAJ, KISE, KEDIPA MPs, NTSA, Ministry of Transport, NCPWD, vehicle Body Builders various PWD organizations as well as the Ministry of Interior and Coordination.