KEDIPA urges Ruto to appoint a woman with disability as CS for Gender

_{By Tim Sande.}

The Kenya Disability Parliamentary Association (KEDIPA) has called on President William Ruto to appoint a woman Person with Disability as the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Gender, Culture, The Arts, and Heritage.

The appeal follows the recent rejection of Stella Soi Langat’s nomination for the position by the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments.

In a press statement issued on Friday, August 16, KEDIPA, a caucus that brings together parliamentarians with disabilities and those with family members who are Persons with Disabilities , emphasized that this nomination presents a unique opportunity to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the highest levels of government.

Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, who is the Chairperson of KEDIPA, underscored the importance of such an appointment, noting that it would not only adhere to the two-thirds gender rule but also break new ground by bringing a person with a disability into the Cabinet for the first time in Kenya’s history.

“The participation of persons with disabilities in all levels of governance in Kenya is an inalienable right guaranteed by our Constitution and other legal frameworks,” Wanyonyi stated.

“This is a chance for the country to remedy the history of exclusion of persons with disabilities from serving in the Cabinet and to secure its place among nations that fully respect the rights of persons with disabilities.”

MP Tim Wanyonyi.

KEDIPA’s statement referenced key legal instruments, including the Constitution of Kenya, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2003, as foundational documents that support the inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance.

The association further expressed its commitment to working with the government to ensure the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, aligning with the global Sustainable Development Goals’ commitment to ‘leave no one behind.’

KEDIPA’s call comes in the wake of the National Assembly’s decision to reject the nomination of Ms. Stella Son Langat due to her perceived lack of knowledge and experience relevant to the portfolio.

The parliamentary committee’s report highlighted that while other nominees demonstrated competence in their respective fields, Ms. Langat did not meet the necessary criteria for the role of Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, The Arts, and Heritage.