Crystal Asige hails victory as Ruto signs her Disabilities Bill into law
Nominated Senator Crystal Asige has expressed her immense satisfaction with the assent into law of the Persons with Disabilities Bill, which she tabled.
The Bill, now an Act of Parliament, was officially signed into law by President William Ruto on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in State House, Nairobi.
Taking to her official X account, Asige shared that despite facing neglect and having her voice ignored, she persisted, and her Persons with Disabilities Bill has now become an Act of Parliament.
“I have sat in rooms where no one saw me. I have spoken when no one bothered to listen. And still I kept going. Now my Persons with Disabilities Bill is an Act of Parliament,” she said.
In addition, she expressed that being present when the president signed her bill into law was meaningful, not because it was perfect, but because it represented a hard-fought achievement, adding that it showed what happens when people refuse to be left behind.
“Being there when the president turned my ‘bill’ into an act by the stamp of his seal meant a lot, not because it was perfect, but because we finally made it happen. This is what it looks like when we refuse to be left behind,” she added.
Disability Bill
Ruto, after appending his signature to the bill, said that the new law is not only progressive but also affirms the dignity of the disabled.
He further highlighted that persons living with disabilities make up a significant portion of the population, citing the 2019 National Housing and Population Census, which recorded nearly one million people with disabilities over the age of five, approximately two per cent of Kenya’s population.
“It has been my singular honour and duty this morning to sign into law the Persons with Disabilities Bill 2025, a progressive piece of legislation that reaffirms the dignity and rights of all persons living with disabilities (PWDs) in Kenya,” Ruto stated.
“This community constitutes a significant segment of our population. According to the 2019 National Housing and Population Census, the number of individuals with disabilities above the age of five stood at just under one million, about 2% of our total population, while globally, it is estimated that they represent 15% of the world’s population.”
In addition, the head of state noted that despite being a critical part of every nation’s demographic, individuals with disabilities face systemic barriers, such as challenges in accessing education, healthcare, employment, and social services.
“Although this group forms a critical part of every nation’s demographic, they continue to face systemic barriers, including challenges in accessing education, healthcare, employment, and basic social services. Some of these hurdles are rooted in structural, social, political, and cultural systems. Others stem from institutional and attitudinal barriers that lead to exclusion and unequal access to opportunities,” Ruto noted.
