KMPDU SG Atellah vows to champion disability rights if elected MP

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah say he will push for stronger legal protections and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities if he clinches the Lang’ata Parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.

Dr. Atellah made the commitment on Friday while addressing the Disability Inclusive Employment Summit 2026 organised by Riziki Source, where he called for the full implementation of constitutional provisions guaranteeing the rights of persons with disabilities.

The doctors' union boss said his decision to seek elective office was informed by the need to have disability inclusion, workers' rights and social justice prioritised in Parliament and other government institutions.

He argued that the employment of persons with disabilities should not be treated as an act of charity or goodwill by employers, but as a fundamental right that must be respected and protected.

“Decent work is not a privilege; it's a fundamental right. But when we hear conversations every day about inclusion of persons with disabilities, it always comes as an act of charity,” Dr. Atellah said.

He challenged both public and private sector employers to provide persons with disabilities with equal employment opportunities and working conditions, arguing that existing constitutional and statutory protections remained inadequately implemented.

Dr. Atellah cited Article 54 of the Constitution, which provides for the progressive implementation of the principle that at least five per cent of members of the public in elective and appointive bodies should be persons with disabilities.

He claimed that the level of employment of persons with disabilities remained below the constitutional threshold, calling for accountability from employers and institutions responsible for enforcing disability inclusion.

The KMPDU Secretary General said his experience negotiating with the government and championing doctors' welfare had shaped his decision to seek a Parliamentary seat, arguing that organised representation was necessary to secure lasting policy changes.

He noted that trade unions had historically relied on collective action, including strikes, demonstrations and sit-ins, to compel employers and the government to address workers' grievances.

Dr. Atellah called for similar unity among persons with disabilities, trade unions and advocacy groups, saying a coordinated approach would strengthen efforts to secure decent employment and workplace dignity.

He further argued that political representation would be crucial in ensuring that disability-related commitments translate into legislation, budgetary allocations and enforceable policies.

“Somebody will come here and tell you that they have your interests. But I can tell you, when you are not on the table, it is impossible to have your interests,” he said.

Dr. Atellah, who also described himself as a father of a person with a disability, said he intended to use his parliamentary bid to advance the rights of persons with disabilities alongside broader workers' welfare issues.

“If I have all these asks that you put in place, all the demands that you put in place, when I go there, they will be part of our conversation,” he pledged.

He said his intended Parliamentary agenda would focus on equity, dignity and ensuring that persons with disabilities could access employment without having to seek special favours.