Kajiado County Assembly, Orione Community Training Centre (OCTC) and Strathmore University Law Clinic have joined forces to spearhead proposed amendments to the Kajiado County Early Childhood Education Act, 2023, in a move aimed at improving access to inclusive early childhood education for children with disabilities.
The proposed amendments were discussed during a stakeholder workshop held at Strathmore University, bringing together members of the Kajiado County Assembly's Education and Disability Mainstreaming Committees and key implementing partners to deliberate on gaps in the existing legislation and proposed legal reforms.
The proposed Kajiado County Early Childhood Education (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to strengthen the rights of children with disabilities by introducing mandatory accessibility standards, teacher training and dedicated funding for inclusive learning programmes.
During the workshop, OCTC, working in partnership with Strathmore University Law Clinic, presented the proposed amendments and highlighted gaps in the current Act that continue to hinder children with disabilities from accessing early childhood education.
Speaking during the engagement, Nominated Member of the County Assembly (MCA) and Chairperson of the Disability Mainstreaming Committee, Betty Taani, said the proposed legislation would play a critical role in protecting vulnerable children with disabilities and transforming their lives.
She noted that strengthening the legal framework would help ensure that children with disabilities enjoy their right to education and are not left behind.
OCTC Project Manager Richard Manyara said the proposed Bill seeks to explicitly prohibit discrimination against children with disabilities and require early childhood education providers to make reasonable accommodations to support their learning.
He stated that the amendments would guarantee every child with a disability or special educational needs the right to access inclusive early childhood education on an equal basis with other children.
Strathmore University Law Clinic Faculty Director Patrick Nzomo said the proposed amendments would help align the Kajiado County Early Childhood Education Act, 2023, with the Constitution of Kenya, regional and international legal frameworks, and other key provisions safeguarding the rights of children with disabilities.
MCA and Chairperson of the Committee on Gender, Culture, Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Naisiae welcomed the proposed amendments, describing them as an important step towards better protection of children with disabilities.
She commended OCTC for its continued support and interventions aimed at improving the lives and welfare of children with disabilities.
The proposed legislation is part of a one-year advocacy initiative under the Rise Up Project, which seeks to make early childhood education in Kajiado County more inclusive and accessible.
As part of the project, OCTC has reached more than 300 caregivers, community leaders, young people and women's groups across four sub-counties through community dialogues; it also gathered more than 50 endorsements in the form of petitions, testimonies and community declarations in support of inclusive early childhood education.
In addition, the project team assessed at least five ECDE centres and interviewed 20 caregivers. The findings informed the development of a gender- and disability-disaggregated evidence brief documenting the barriers that prevent children with intellectual disabilities from accessing early learning opportunities.
The evidence highlights the need for stronger legal protections, improved learning environments and increased support for teachers and caregivers.
The project aims to have the amendments to the existing ECDE Act tabled in the County Assembly of Kajiado by December 2026.
Strathmore University School of Law, through its Law Clinic, serves as the project's legal and technical lead, while OCTC provides community-based expertise and advocacy.
The proposed amendments mark an important step towards ensuring that disability is not a barrier to education and that every child in Kajiado County has an equal opportunity to learn, develop and reach their full potential.
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