NAIROBI, Kenya Jul 17 – Persons living with disabilities have called for broad participation to ensure that the final Draft Public Benefit Organizations (PBO) Regulations reflect the needs and voices of all Kenyans.
Speaking during a consultative forum jointly convened by the Public Benefit Organizations Regulatory Authority (PBORA), CBM International Kenya, and the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya, disability rights advocate Prof. Lawrence Mute commended PBORA for facilitating the forum and emphasized the importance of aligning the draft regulations with existing legal frameworks.
“The new regulations must be carefully harmonized with the Disability Act and the PBO Act to prevent legal ambiguity and ensure coherent protection of disability rights,” Prof. Mute said.
The Nairobi session is part of a nationwide series of consultative forums that began on June 19 and are scheduled to conclude on July 25. Similar meetings have already been held in counties including Garissa, Meru, Nyeri, Machakos, Mombasa, and Nakuru.
PBORA Director Dr. Laxmana Peter Kiptoo reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to inclusivity and compliance with constitutional mandates regarding the rights of persons with disabilities.
“We have received valuable insights from participants today, and we are committed to ensuring that all organizations representing persons with disabilities are included in this process,” said Dr. Kiptoo.
Dr. Kiptoo also emphasized that the government remains focused on upholding its constitutional obligations to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities.
CBM Kenya Country Director Davide Munyendo expressed support for the consultative process and announced plans to formalize the outcomes of the discussions in a memorandum to be submitted to PBORA.
“Our intention is to ensure that the points raised here are not only heard but accurately represented,” said Munyendo.
