TOPIC: THE ROLE OF LOCAL AUTHORITY IN
ENSURING ACCESS TO PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES (PWDs).
BY:
ROBA DUBA
TOWN CLERK
CITY COUNCIL OF NAIROBI

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Nairobi started as a Railway depot in 1905 during the construction of Nairobi-
Uganda Railway
The City was established as a Municipal council in 1935 with a population of
200,000
Currently population has grown to approximately 3.5M people
The City covers an area of about 680 square Km.

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Nairobi is the political and
Administrative center of the Republic of
Kenya
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It is the largest metropolitan City in East
Africa
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The strategic location has made the
Nairobi an important commercial Hub, financial, Industrial, Education and
Communication in East Africa

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The City Council of Nairobi was granted City status by the Queen of
England in 1950
It has population of approximately
3.5M people
The City covers an area of about
682 square Km.
Politically the City is headed by the
Mayor and on Administration by the
Town Clerk who is the Chief
Executive Officer of the council

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The City host the headquarters of various international organizations including UNEP and UN-HABITAT
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The City contributes to over 60% of the countries GDP and has the most developed financial and service in the region

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On political governance the City has a
Mayor, Deputy Mayor and 98 Councillors
74 Councillors are elected while others are nominated
Administratively the City has a Town Clerk who is the Chief Executive Officer

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The city has 16 departments with 11,285
Employees
The council has decentralized its service delivery into eight (8) division and 74 ward respectively
The City embraces eight (8) no. constituencies represented by a Member of Parliament

Nairobi

To be recognised as one of the most attractive cities of the world

“To facilitate coordinated development and improved service delivery to stimulate economic activity, high quality of life and become one of the most attractive cities of the world”.

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Disability is physical, sensory , mental or other impairment, including any visual, hearing , learning or physical incapability , which impacts adversely, on social, economic and environmental participation.
Accessibility is physical access and ensures that disabled people are not discriminated against in any way , either passively .e.g lack of information or abuse by other employees or abusive clients

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Disability mainstreaming in the council started as a performance contract target from the Government to all
Local Authorizes in Kenya
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Mainstreaming disability is a concept to promote inclusion and to address the barriers that exclude disabled people from full and equal participation in society in a structured way.

Progress on disability mainstreaming at the City Council of Nairobi (CCN).
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CCN has a disability committee in place.
Disability Mainstreaming policy has been developed
Service charter has been translated into braille for bride stakeholders
The council has fitted voice announcers into its lifts to help bride people
All front office staff have been trained on sign language

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The council has compiled a list of its
75 members of staff with disability and documented various forms of their disabilities.

Disability mainstreaming in sports activities
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The city council promotes sporting activities for its residents, who use council’s facilities for sports and are provided with sporting equipment's
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The disabled are encouraged to participate and compete with their colleague from various estates within the
City
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A good example of this group is council’s volleyball team playing at Charter Hall

Nairobi sitting football during Nairobi inter-estate cultural festival at Charter Hall, Nairobi.

Volleyball Team for the
Disabled

Volleyball Team for the
Disabled cont
Game in session

Volleyball Team for the
Disabled cont’
Game in session

Provisions for Access
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The council has a policy to ensure that all new building plans must have provisions for persons with the disabled eg ramps on star case and have started working on toilets.
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Owners of buildings without such facilities have been served with order to adjust and comply with the needs of the disabled,
 lowering of kerbs in all pedestrian crossing areas and areas within traffic lights, have been done

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Current works of rehabilitation and expansion of roads and walkways are taking into consideration the use by nonmotorized transport that includes the disabled e.g those on wheelchairs.
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Designation of parking areas for the disabled have been provided within the
City.
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The council has reserved trading areas in
Uhuru Park and Muthurwa market for persons with disability

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Sanitary facilities for persons living with disability have been constructed at
Muthurwa, Tom Mboya , Accra road and
Uhuru Park public toilets
114 Nurses, clinical officers, and VCT counselors have been trained in sign language in collaboration with Liverpool organization
Facilitation of Tax exemption payments by persons with disability as per government directives has been achieved

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Trained front office employees, nurses and clinical officers on sign language.
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Fitted council lifts with voice announcers.
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21 council staff with disability benefiting from tax exemption
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Braille printers in some of our primary schools.
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Guides for staff with visual impairements.

Gaps and Challenges in
Implementing the Act
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The council is yet to develop a by-law that will address violation on rights of the disabled.
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Insufficient funds has led to a slow pace of putting up facilities to cater for the needs of the disabled.
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Unfriendly service points and facilities
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Discrimination and lack of equal opportunities for pwd e.g in education.
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Very few schools can accommodate children with disabilities

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Attitude-disability is not inability. Disabled persons must not expect handouts but will be expected to work to the extent of their ability and comply with rules and regulation
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Cheating and manipulation of the disabled persons by corrupt individuals who would want to use them for personal gain e.g used them as street beggars.
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The society must change its negative attitude towards the disabled people

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A disability committee has been set up.
Recommendations and findings of the committee are taken up for implementation.
 all departments report on activities on disability mainstreaming on monthly and quarterly basis.
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Capture data on all disabled staff. Regular surveys.

Access Needs for Elderly, Women and Children
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Access for the elderly – Mji wa Huruma admits elderly persons of 60 years and above. Most of them have hearing and visual impairment.
Due to societies attitude towards disabled, most of them are dumped in the streets and
CCN rescues and takes them to the centre.

MJI WA HURUMA HOME FOR THE AGED

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The council caters for the welfare of women by mobilizing them into socioeconomic units.
The women are trained and assisted to form the groups and obtain resources from Government and NGOs
Women are assisted allocated with market space e.g Maasai Market next to the Law Courts

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23 rd , 24 th , 25 th June 2010
Community Sensitization meeting at Soweto hall in Kahawa West
City Council of Nairobi End Term Review

23 rd , 24 th , 25 th June 2010
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HAND MADE BASKETS BY ANGEL RAPHAEL SHG DANDORA
City Council of Nairobi End Term Review

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Access needs for the children –
Construction of ramps and adjustment of toilets in city primary schools for PWD
25 City Council schools use sign language and administer exams using sign language
Some primary school use Brailles for the blind, magnifying glass and spectacles.
Inclusive learning and special units in schools

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Outreach programs to mobilize communities to ensure children with disability are taken to school.
The Council also has street children rehabilitation program where we rescue, rehabilitate and re- integration
We have also established four(4) rehabilitation centers at Bahati, Shouri
Moyo, Joseph Kangethe and kayole

End-Term Presentation(June 2010)

STAFF ON A RESCUE MISSION

End-Term Presentation(June 2010)

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Mass sensitization on the rights and needs of persons with disabilities.
Allocation of more resources to disability projects.
Multi-stakeholder approach in implementation of the Act.
Institutionalization of the Act, e.g. to be reflected in the councils by-laws.

THE END