KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah Vows Disability Rights Push If Elected Lang’ata MP

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah pledged on Friday, October 30, at the Disability Inclusive Employment Summit 2026 organised by Riziki Source to champion stronger legal protections and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities if he wins the Lang’ata parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.

Atellah argued that disability inclusion should be treated as a constitutional obligation rather than an act of charity, citing Article 54 of the Constitution which requires at least five percent representation of persons with disabilities in elective and appointive bodies, and noting that the required threshold has not yet been met.

He challenged both public and private sector employers to provide fair access to jobs, decent working conditions and an enabling environment for persons with disabilities, stating, “Decent work is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right. But when we hear conversations every day about the inclusion of persons with disabilities, it always comes as an act of charity.”

Atellah said his decision to seek elective office was driven by his experience negotiating with the government on doctors’ welfare and by being a father of a person with a disability, insisting that direct representation is needed to prioritise disability inclusion, workers’ rights and social justice in Parliament and other government institutions.

He called for stronger legislation, increased budgetary allocations and greater accountability among employers and government bodies to ensure existing disability laws and policies are fully implemented.

Atellah urged disability rights organisations, workers’ unions and other stakeholders to unite in demanding workplace dignity, drawing on the historical use of strikes, demonstrations and sit-ins by trade unions to secure workers’ rights.