People with hearing disabilities in Kenya are calling on the government to ensure public institutions provide adequate Kenyan Sign Language services. They claim communication gaps continue to deny them access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and justice. According to Abel Ouma, chairman of the Kakamega Association of the Deaf, public officers should be trained in Kenyan Sign Language to enable them to serve deaf people directly.
The demand for sign language services comes against a backdrop of low compliance with disability inclusion measures in public institutions. Data from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities shows that only four per cent of public institutions had met the mandated five per cent employment reservation for persons with disabilities. Furthermore, only 35 per cent of institutions had employed any persons with disabilities by July 2022.
Ouma emphasized that accessible communication is a basic right and that deaf people should be able to access information and services through Kenyan Sign Language without discrimination. He urged doctors, nurses, police officers, teachers, judicial officers, and other frontline government workers to receive sign language training. This would enable them to serve deaf people directly and reduce reliance on relatives or third parties.
The leaders are pushing for the implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, which strengthens provisions on accessibility, communication, and inclusion. Ouma said communication barriers were particularly serious in healthcare, policing, and the justice system. Failure to communicate effectively in these sectors can affect a person's ability to receive treatment, report a crime, or participate in legal proceedings.
Ouma also urged county governments to include persons with disabilities in planning and budgeting. He noted that failure to factor in their needs at the local level limits access to government programmes and services. Additionally, he encouraged parents to learn Kenyan Sign Language and support deaf children to acquire communication skills early.
The awareness week activities included a street procession through Bungoma town by deaf people and other stakeholders to raise awareness of their rights and the challenges they face. Ouma called on development partners, civil society organisations, and the private sector to support sign language training, accessible information, and economic empowerment programmes.
Ouma emphasized that deaf people should be involved in decisions affecting them rather than being treated only as beneficiaries of government and development programmes. The 2026 International Deaf Awareness Week, whose theme was “Declaring deaf people’s human rights”, provided a platform for deaf people to voice their concerns and demands.
Key points
- Deaf people in Kenya demand sign language services in public institutions to access essential services.
- Only four per cent of public institutions in Kenya have met the mandated five per cent employment reservation for persons with disabilities.
- The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, aims to strengthen provisions on accessibility, communication, and inclusion.
