Is it a crime to mock, hide or abuse a person with a disability?
Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 · sources read 3 Oct 2026
Yes. Under the Persons with Disabilities Act 2025, abusing or discriminating against a person with disability can mean a fine of up to KSh 2 million or 2 years in jail, hiding them or degrading them by words or signs up to KSh 1 million or 1 year, and harmful practices such as ritual killings, or torture, life imprisonment.
- Where
- Any police station; the High Court for a rights petition.
Steps
- Report abuse, neglect or violence against a person with disability to the police where it happened. Anyone who knows about it must do so.
- You can also go to court if a right in the Bill of Rights has been denied, violated or threatened.
Watch out
- Hiding is an offence when a parent, guardian, next of kin or person running an institution does it knowingly to keep the person from opportunities and services.
- Degrading treatment covers spoken or written words, signs and pictures.
Who this covers
- All persons with disabilities, who have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and not addressed in a demeaning way.
Official sources (2)
- Persons with Disabilities Act, No. 4 of 2025 new.kenyalaw.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Constitution of Kenya, 2010 new.kenyalaw.org · read 3 Oct 2026