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Boniface Mulu
Kitui County, Kenya: Kitui County marked the International Day for Persons with Disabilities with a powerful reaffirmation of its commitment, highlighting a major investment in mobility and inclusion.
The celebrations unveiled a partnership that has already delivered over 200 wheelchairs and announced a significantly expanded budget for assistive devices, placing the rights and needs of persons with disabilities firmly at the center of the county’s agenda.
Last year, through a partnership with the Walk About Foundation (WAF), we provided over 200 wheelchairs worth millions of shillings to persons with disabilities in Kitui County. This was stated by the County Minister for Culture, Gender, Youth, ICT, Sports, and Social Services, Phoebe Ndunyu Mutemi. She added, “We as a county ministry are partnering with the Walk About Foundation for the good of our people, and I want to thank that organization a lot.”
Minister Mutemi further noted that the Kitui County government has significantly helped persons with disabilities in various ways, including conducting medical assessments for those requiring assistive devices. She was speaking to hundreds of attendees at this year’s 44th International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) celebrations, held at Sombe Sports Academy in Sombe District on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. She represented Governor Dr. Julius Makau Malombe as the chief guest at the event.
The celebration, themed “Fostering Disability Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress,” was organized by the Kenyan government, Anglican Development Services Eastern (ADSE), the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), the Kitui County government, Kitui Teachers Training College, Walk About Foundation, the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), Univision DT SACCO, Universal Traders SACCO, Suluhu DT SACCO, the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), Cheshire Disability Services Kenya, the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF), and others.
In Kenya, the national event was hosted at Moi Garden Stadium in Lodwar, Turkana County, while globally it was observed at the United Nations headquarters in New York, USA.
Minister Mutemi emphasized the importance of the day, stating, “We are remembering persons with disabilities.” She also highlighted that the budget for supporting persons with disabilities in Kitui County has greatly increased under Governor Malombe’s administration. “We have to do what is necessary for disabled people. There are more assistive devices on the way, and we provide them in large numbers across the whole county according to need,” she said. Assuring continued support, Mutemi added, “It is your right to be served. We will continue serving you effectively and efficiently.”
Speaking at the event, Richard Ndambuki, the Kitui County Coordinator for the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), remarked, “This day is to sensitize people that disabled persons should not be left behind, forgotten, or neglected.” He stressed that county governments must serve persons with disabilities as mandated by the Kenyan constitution. Ndambuki also expressed high appreciation for Caritas Kitui, the development arm of the Kitui Catholic Diocese, for its consistent and substantial support.
Josephat Mwalimu, the Kitui Branch Manager of Universal Traders Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited, addressed the gathering and stated that the SACCO supports the community through its corporate social responsibility initiatives. He assured persons with disabilities in the county of their preparedness to offer support.
Other speakers at the function included Sombe District Commissioner Emmanuel Ngala Mwachiro, Kitui County Disability Network (KCDN) Chairman John Kilonzo, and Caritas Kitui official Juliana Mwania, who represented Director Florence Ndeti. Kilonzo noted that KCDN serves as the umbrella organization for all disabled persons’ organizations in Kitui County.
