Duncan Ndegwa reaching out for a light switch. Most buildings hamper movement for persons with disability and accessibility to facilities such as toilets.
Duncan Ndegwa, 48, has been on crutches most of his having
contracted polio as a six -year-old boy and though he is able to get
around in the city there are many areas that are still inaccessible or
pose a grave danger to him.
Efforts have been made in part of the city and
some buildings to make them accessible but there are still areas that
have to be addressed.
Persons with disabilities face major challenges moving around be they on crutches or wheelchairs, needing barrier free areas, more friendly floors, wider lifts for wheelchairs and special toilets.
“I have built a barrier- free house in Red Hill.
You can only understand the gist of it when you are on a wheel chair,”
adds Mr Ndegwa, a private consultant for houses and commercial buildings
on how to make their properties accessible to persons with
disabilities.
Persons living with disabilities no doubt encounter numerous mobility challenges in the course of their lives. Yet, the acceptance and inclusion of people with disability in society has increased, they still face major challenges getting around.
Legislation
For Ndegwa public transport, narrow doors and hallways, and unfriendly building designs are his nightmare.
To ensure the needs of disable persons are met,
the government through Persons with Disability Act 2010 came up with
legislation directing public institutions and public service vehicles to
comply with barrier free requirements as provided by the law.
The Act calls for a barrier free and disability friendly environment for affected persons that will ease their access to buildings, roads and other social amenities.
It also provides for assistive devices and equipment necessary to promote their mobility. The time line offered by the law for compliance is within five years of the law coming into force.
Public buildings
But even so, private developers and individuals are not bound in any way by the law which obliges owners of public buildings to adapt developments to suit persons with disability.
Some progress has been done with the City Council of Nairobi reworking some of the pavements and road access, public and some private buildings putting ramps for easier access into the building and special toilets.
The council has also provided special parking
slots for easier access. New developments have also taken into account
the need to make them accessible however there is still much to be done.
Campaigns :
Many private developments are apartments without lifts making it
hard for people with disabilities to access easily. There has been a
lot of awareness on some of the challenges they face including the
recent campaign 'Bring Zack Back Home'.
Zack, a car jacking victim who was left unable to
walk, was to travel over 4,000 kilometres to the nearest treatment
centre in South Africa.
His journey helped highlight some of the challenges. Recently, Members of Parliament with disabilities took issue with the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) for not making more efforts to make it easier to access.
The issue of the washroom and there only being one ramp at the back, and lack of room for wheelchairs in the House forcing members with disability to sit at the far back have been raised.
Mr Ndegwa is among persons involved in private consultancy on home designs that wish to incorporate the needs of the disabled persons.
Among the important aspects he says is wide doors, elevators for highrise buildings, friendly toilets and showers that are easily accessible, reachable counter tops and sinks, non-slippery floors among other adjustments.
Source : Business Daily , 13th June 2013
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