When a promise becomes a march: Uasin Gishu PWDs demonstrate that unity can no longer be taken for granted

By Mr. Fredrick Kipchumba Chelimo PWD

Communication/Spokeperson: Uasin Gishu Disabilities Umbrella CBO

Email: fkipchelimo@yahoo.com

“A right that remains only in paper is a promise waiting for a people determined enough to make it real”

On Thursday, 24th September 2026, persons with disabilities in Uasin Gishu County did something that deserves to be remembered beyond the photographs, speeches and headlines of the day. They kept their word. The Uasin Gishu Disability Umbrella CBO and affiliated persons with disabilities, caregivers, CBO and other persons of goodwill who stood behind its call peacefully assembled at Zion Mall and walked gracefully and courageously to the Uasin Gishu County Headquarters to present their grievances and demand answers concerning matters pertinent to them and their livelihoods.

It was not merely a procession from one point to another, but a test of unity of purpose, courage, organization and collective responsibility. The demonstration demonstrated that persons with disabilities are not only citizens waiting for government generosity, but citizens, taxpayers, voters and importantly rights holders entitled to participate in decisions concerning their rights and lives.

The Constitution and more importantly the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 recognizes rights of persons with disabilities to participate in political and public life on equal basis with others. It also provides for enforcement of rights where provisions of the act are allegedly contravened. What happened in Uasin Gishu, Eldoret town is not an act of rebellion against the national or County government, but citizens exercising civic space to ask County government to account for commitments and responsibilities

Of significance is not the number of attendees, but the message that persons with disabilities can organize around a common problem and peacefully demand institutional attention. Difference of opinion in some leadership levels should not frighten, mislead or misguide the disability fraternity. Collectively we agree there is a problem, but differ on the that should be followed to correct it. Those who chose a different route remain brothers and sisters in the broader disability movement. These differences in strategy should not be allowed to escalate into personal hostilities. We can agree on the road without agreeing on the destination.

Thursday was the beginning and opportunity for County government to listen and the peaceful demonstration should not be taken as an end to itself. It was a message, opportunity to listen, an invitation to dialogue and a demonstration of what can happen when people who have historically been spoken for decide to speak for themselves.

Persons with disabilities in Uasin Gishu County.

Peaceful advocacy must ultimately produce measurable results. The disabilities members who walked from Zion Mall to Couty Headquarters did not leave their homes, businesses, families and responsibilities merely to make noise. They came because there are outstanding questions and demands that require urgent meaningful response. And budgets only

The County Government has an opportunity between now and next Thursday to demonstrate that public participation, disability inclusion and accountability are not merely phrases used during ceremonies. The issues should be addressed substantially, with clear commitments, responsible officers, with timelines and mechanisms for verification. If that happens, dialogue would have achieved what it is supposed to achieve.

If, however, by Thursday the outstanding demands remain substantially unmet or unresolved, then the disability community shall be prepared to demonstrate in a bigger and more visible way. This is not a threat but should be understood as a continuation of lawful civic engagement. The expectations should be for a larger, peaceful, disciplined and more inclusive mobilization of persons with disabilities across Uasin Gishu.

Those who could not attend this Thursday should understand that their absence does not remove them from the struggle and next Thursday should provide them an opportunity for them to stand alongside their fellow persons with disabilities, while those who attended today should not become tired. The strength of a movement is not measured by the volume of its first demonstration, but by its ability to remain organized, principled and peaceful until legitimate grievances receive meaningful attention and action.

Let disagreements become constructive, at the same time the disability fraternity must guard against something more dangerous than government inaction: internal division. The splinter group and the disability umbrella might have different opinions about how to proceed. That is fine. Let us not be enemies merely we have chosen different paths of strategy. Let us debate, have alternative proposals, have constructive criticism or even disagreements but let the common problem remain visible.

The massage to the County Government of Uasin Gishu is that Thursday has established something important: persons with disabilities are watching the budgets, the programmes, procurement, implementation, promises and watching who participated in identifying the needs and who made the decision in their behalf. More importantly, they are increasingly prepared to ask questions and this should not frighten responsible officers, but strengthen government.

A government that listens early saves itself from confrontation later. A government that involves, and consults beneficiaries before designing programmes reduces waste. A government that response to legitimate grievances builds confidence. The next few days therefore belongs to dialogue, consultation and action. The just concluded demonstration has presented something much bigger and symbolic: the disability fraternity is moving from waiting to demanding accountability, from being spoken for to speaking for itself, and from isolated grievances to collective civic action. And the journey has just began.

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