NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 2 – Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has called for a more inclusive continental digital economy, saying Africa\u2019s technological transformation must fully accommodate persons with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking during the opening of the Inclusive Africa Conference 2026 in Nairobi, Kabogo questioned whether current digital advancements truly serve all citizens, noting that an estimated 80 million Africans with disabilities risk being left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stressed the need to align innovation with inclusivity as governments and technology developers accelerate digital transformation across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three-day conference, running from June 2 to June 4, is organized by inABLE and focuses on advancing digital accessibility and artificial intelligence solutions for Africa\u2019s future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kabogo highlighted Kenya\u2019s ongoing digital initiatives, including the Digital Superhighway programme, implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act, and efforts to enhance accessibility on the eCitizen platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said these reforms are aimed at ensuring that government services and digital systems are usable by all citizens, including those with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Cabinet Secretary also participated in a ministerial roundtable focused on developing regional ICT accessibility standards, reinforcing the need for coordinated policy frameworks across Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The regional summit brought together policymakers, disability rights advocates, and digital innovators to explore ways of improving accessibility in technology design and deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Disability inclusion advocate Paul said digital accessibility remains critical for employment and social integration, urging stakeholders to move beyond basic compliance and adopt structural solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandra Doreen, a digital storyteller and public relations officer at Silent Cafe Uganda\u2014a social enterprise founded by a deaf entrepreneur\u2014shared her experience navigating communication barriers in professional environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking through a sign language interpreter, she said focusing solely on disability often overlooks the skills and technical abilities of individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conference also examined the role of artificial intelligence in recruitment and employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oben Moloti, Chairperson of the Namibian Organisation of Youth with Disabilities, said his advocacy work was shaped by observing barriers faced by persons with disabilities in hiring processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called for the integration of AI and digital tools in recruitment systems to promote fair and equitable employment opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
InABLE Founder and Executive Director Irene Mbari-Kirika announced that the organization is working with the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and Germany\u2019s GIZ to develop unified digital accessibility standards for ICT products and services across Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The initiative aims to integrate accessibility requirements into the early stages of product design and development, rather than treating them as afterthoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The standardization process is expected to take about two years and is aimed at ensuring consistency in accessibility frameworks across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Delegates at the conference emphasized that digital accessibility should be treated as a regulatory requirement for a functioning modern economy, rather than a charitable initiative.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kabogo questioned whether current digital advancements truly serve all citizens, noting that an estimated 80 million Africans with disabilities risk being left behind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12616,"featured_media":802813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,4625,26],"tags":[1981,58998,491,59000,59001,58999],"coauthors":[57679],"class_list":["post-802811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kenya","category-national-news","category-top-stories","tag-featured","tag-inclusive-africa-conference-2026-nairobi","tag-kenya","tag-kenya-digital-superhighway-accessibility","tag-persons-with-disabilities-digital-inclusion-africa","tag-william-kabogo-digital-economy-speech"],"yoast_head":"\n