Today, the Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights (JLAHRC), chaired by Senator Veronicah Maina, held a meeting with Senator Crystal to discuss the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill and the County Governments (Amendment) Bill. These legislative proposals align with Senator Asige's dedication to promoting inclusivity in Kenya's democratic framework.

The primary focus of the meeting was to ensure an accurate interpretation and effective implementation of Article 54(2) of the Constitution. This mandate states that "The State shall ensure the progressive implementation of the principle that at least five percent of the members of the public in elective and appointive bodies are persons with disabilities." The proposed amendments aim to fulfill this constitutional requirement by guaranteeing a minimum representation of five percent of Parliament and County Assemblies members as persons with disabilities.

Unfortunately, our committee was informed of a significant lack of disability representation within our governance structures. Shockingly, after the General Elections of 2022, twenty-one County Assemblies do not have a single member who identifies as a person with a disability. Moreover, the representation of persons with disabilities in the Senate and the National Assembly falls far below the constitutionally mandated five per cent threshold. It is these troubling disparities that the two proposed legislative amendments seek to address.

These challenges demand our attention. It is our collective responsibility to rectify this gap in the actualization of our constitution, fulfilling our commitment to a representative, inclusive, and democratic society. #InclusiveKenya #ConstitutionalAmendments #DisabilityRepresentation

The meeting was attended by committee members including Senators Okiya Omtatah, Fatuma Dullo, Catherine Mumma, Hamida Kibwana, and Karen Nyamu.