The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has called on Kenya to rethink its health, social protection, housing, labour, and digital systems to serve its growing older population. The Commission said this was necessary to protect the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of older persons and ensure they remain active and included in society. With the country's ageing population continuing to grow, NGEC emphasized the need for sustainable income-support programmes, particularly for older people who spent their working lives in the informal sector.
According to the NGEC, the rising number of older Kenyans requires the country to move beyond viewing them mainly as recipients of welfare support. Instead, older persons should be recognised as rights-holders and contributors whose needs must be considered in national and county planning. The Commission cited Article 57 of the Constitution, which requires the State to ensure older persons can fully participate in society, pursue personal development, live in dignity and respect, and remain free from abuse.
The International Day of Older Persons, marked every October 1, highlights the need for governments and communities to adjust to longer lifespans while ensuring older people remain healthy, secure, and included. The 2026 theme, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives,” emphasizes the need for governments and communities to adapt to longer lifespans. The United Nations identifies population ageing as one of the major social changes of the 21st century, with effects on healthcare, social protection, housing, transport, labour markets, and family structures.
Kenya is already experiencing a steady rise in its older population. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that about 2.7 million people aged 60 years and above lived in Kenya in 2019. The number was projected to reach 2.9 million in 2024, 3.4 million by 2030, 4.2 million by 2035, and 6.4 million by 2045. The 2019 census also showed that women made up 54.6 per cent of Kenya's older population, while men accounted for 45.4 per cent.
Despite existing government measures, including the Social Protection Act, 2025, the National Policy on Older Persons and Ageing, and the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme, many older persons still struggle with financial insecurity and limited access to essential services. NGEC said older persons continue to experience income insecurity, limited access to healthcare and digital services, discrimination, neglect, abuse, financial exploitation, and property dispossession.
The Commission called on national and county governments, civil society organisations, the private sector, development partners, and communities to strengthen legal safeguards and improve access to justice for older persons. NGEC also urged authorities to expand affordable and accessible healthcare for older people, including treatment for chronic illnesses, rehabilitation, mental health services, palliative care, and long-term care.
NGEC further called for sustainable income-support programmes, particularly for older people who spent much of their working lives in the informal sector. The Commission said some groups face greater risks, including older women, older persons with disabilities, and those living in poverty or marginalised communities, and should therefore receive targeted protection.
Key points
- The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has called on Kenya to adapt its systems to serve its growing older population.
- Kenya's older population is projected to reach 6.4 million by 2045.
- The Commission cited the need for sustainable income-support programmes, particularly for older people who spent their working lives in the informal sector.
