Assessing social equity and accessibility of transport systems for people with disability in Kenya

Social equity can be associated with all road practices and policies that ensure fair and just transport in terms of mobility, access and costs allocated to the transport infrastructure. Equally, social accessibility reflects the attribute of transportation infrastructure and systems that enables affordable and accessible mobility for different users’ context. The implementation of these two aspects could be challenging in transport systems, particularly in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to the limitations associated with costs and policing. In this paper, we assess social equity and social accessibility provided to people with disabilities (PWDs) in transport systems of Nairobi, Kenya. To achieve this, a mixed-method approach was employed, comprising three set of data collection: (a) a systematic literature review of the current practices was undertaken, (b) a set of questionnaires involving roads authorities and service providers; and (c) Key-informant-interviews (KIIs) with decision makers in road and transport authorities, service providers and bus designers and manufacturers, as well as with PWDs associations and NGOs advocating for fair and inclusive transport. The study assessed current practices and challenges in transport of PWDs, with the aim of informing relevant stakeholders in a planned workshop. The findings show that social equity and accessibility provided to PWDs in transport systems of Nairobi could be improved significantly. The systematic literature shows that challenges faced by PWDs in transport systems of Kenya are less known, with limited rigorous research around the topic. Data collected from the questionnaires highlight that good policies are available at the level of public institutions, but these policies have not been fully implemented. Finally, findings from the KIIs indicate that there is palpable lack of coordination on programmes that should improve inclusivity in the Kenyan transport systems and alleviate the heavy burden on the PWDs shoulders.