Kenyan in Australia Urges Government to Make Affordable Housing Disability-Friendly

A Kenyan community leader living in Australia has urged the government to include accessible housing in every development under Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme.

Emily Korir made the appeal during the inaugural Australian–Kenyan Summit in Sydney, attended by members of Kenya’s Parliamentary Delegation led by Hon. Bishop Jackson Kosgei and Ambassador Wilson Kogo. Korir called for specific measures to ensure people with disabilities are not excluded from the government’s housing programme.

Her remarks followed the delegation’s visit to a fully accessible housing project in South Australia, where they saw how inclusive design can improve the lives of people with disabilities. Using the project as an example, Korir urged Kenyan policymakers to adopt similar standards. She appealed directly to President William Ruto to allocate at least five fully accessible apartments in every affordable housing development.

She said accessible homes would benefit not only people with disabilities, but also older people, families caring for children with special needs, and those recovering from illness or injury. Korir said incorporating accessibility at the design stage would help ensure that housing developments meet the needs of a wider section of the population.

The summit was also described as an important platform for strengthening engagement between Kenya and its diaspora. Korir commended organisers, including Matthew, President of Kenyans in New South Wales, and event coordinator Mercy Chebet Mutwol, for facilitating discussions between the two countries.

She also praised Ambassador Kogo for his role in convening the summit, saying the event had created new opportunities for cooperation. Korir said Australia’s experience in accessible design and construction could support Kenya’s housing plans. She called for greater cooperation between the two countries to develop practical approaches that make homes affordable, accessible and dignified.

“Let us make Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme a model of dignity, inclusion, and equal opportunity,” she said.

Her call places disability inclusion among the considerations facing Kenya as the Affordable Housing Programme expands. She said accessibility should be incorporated from the outset rather than treated as an additional feature after construction.