Must public buildings be accessible to persons with disabilities?
Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 · sources read 4 Oct 2026
Yes. A building that fails the disability accessibility standards cannot get a completion certificate or be occupied, and all new construction and alterations must meet them. If you are refused entry to a public place or service because of disability, you can claim damages in court.
- Deadline
- An owner can appeal an Adjustment Order to the High Court within 30 days
- Where
- National Council for Persons with Disabilities (Adjustment Orders); the courts for damages
Steps
- Report an inaccessible building or service to the National Council for Persons with Disabilities. It can serve the owner with an Adjustment Order to fix it at their own cost within a set time.
- If you were refused entry to premises or a service because of disability, you can claim damages in a court that has jurisdiction.
Watch out
- Agencies that approve building plans must check that the plans meet the accessibility standards.
- Ignoring an Adjustment Order is an offence: a fine of up to KSh 5 million, up to 5 years in jail, or both.
- An owner cannot use 'right of admission reserved' to keep out a person because of disability.
Who this covers
- Persons with disabilities, who are entitled to a barrier-free environment in buildings, roads and other amenities
- Applies to all premises open to the public, whether or not they charge a fee, plus public transport operators and public services
Official sources (2)
- Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 (No. 4 of 2025) new.kenyalaw.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 (No. 4 of 2025), Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 69 (Acts No. 4) ncpwd.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026