The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare has challenged government agencies and public institutions to provide clear timelines for making public buildings in Mombasa accessible to persons with disabilities, warning that constitutional rights must be backed by concrete action.
The committee, chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor, was reviewing progress reports from the Mombasa County Assembly and the State Department for Public Works following a petition filed by disability rights advocate Zedekiah Adika.
The petition raised concerns over the continued inaccessibility of several public facilities, including Bima Towers, Uhuru na Kazi Building, Mombasa Law Courts and other government offices, despite legal requirements mandating equal access for all citizens.
Speaking before the committee, Mombasa County Assembly Clerk Salim Juma outlined measures already undertaken to improve accessibility within the assembly premises.
“We have completed several ground-floor accessibility improvements, including the installation of ramps at key entry points, upgrading sanitary facilities and relocating a committee room to the ground floor to ensure persons with disabilities can participate in committee proceedings,” Juma told senators.
He further revealed that the assembly had established an Equal Opportunity Office staffed by persons with disabilities and adopted a disability mainstreaming policy.
Juma said plans were underway to install a lift at the assembly building, with approximately Sh13 million proposed in the 2026/27 budget to facilitate access to upper floors.
Officials from the State Department for Public Works, led by Principal Secretary Joel Arumonyang, informed the committee that procurement processes for accessibility improvements were ongoing.
“Tenders for lift replacement at Bima Towers were opened on June 16 and are currently under evaluation,” Arumonyang said.
The department also reported that designs, cost estimates and tender documents for the construction of ramps in various public buildings had been prepared, while consultations were ongoing with building owners and county officials to secure funding.
Despite the updates, senators expressed concern over the lack of specific completion dates for the projects and questioned why accessibility challenges persist years after the enactment of laws protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Members of the committee also sought clarification from the National Construction Authority (NCA) on how it was enforcing accessibility standards, arguing that there remains a significant gap between policy requirements and implementation.
Senators further raised concerns over unresolved ownership issues affecting some public buildings, warning that delays in asset-transfer processes were undermining accountability and slowing down accessibility projects.
The committee announced plans to conduct site visits to key public facilities in Mombasa to independently assess progress.
“Accessibility must move beyond policy commitments and become a lived reality for persons with disabilities seeking government services,” the committee stated.
Among senators present during the session were Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, Beth Syengo, Joe Nyutu (Murang’a), Seki Lenku (Kajiado) and Alexander Mundigi (Embu).
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