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Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) is committed to ensuring that all our students and staff are treated equitably. Though there exists some entrenched ways of supporting students with a wide range light impairments, recent legislations and international conventions have required that the University improves yet further upon our provision and reappraise all our practices to ensure that they not unintentionally discriminatory or present unnecessary barriers to PWDs.

The University is committed to working towards understanding and applying the Social Model of Disability, thereby not focusing on an individual’s medical condition or impairment, but instead identifying the impact of Disability in the structural, organizational, physical and attitudinal barriers that prohibit disabled people from achieving equality and inclusion of their needs, rights and requirements. DeKUT developed and promulgated the 1st Disability Mainstreaming Policy in 2010 and later revised in 2017. This policy is an effort to align disability concerns with national legislation and policy documents including, SDGs, United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD), Persons with Disabilities Act 2003, Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Constitution of Kenya (2010).The University seeks to re-align itself to the changes that occurred upon its being Charter as a fully-fledged University and at the same time to national and global changes in the higher education landscape.

The University is striving to create a framework to ensure that DeKUT offers a supportive environment for all members of the University community. The University’s commitment to all PWDs (students, staff and visitors) is having an enabling environment that will foster University –led and University specific strategies to make a deliberate effort to ensure that Persons with Disabilities are accorded equal opportunities in all spheres their University of life. This means ensuring that disabled person have a voice in the future development of the university community, that they are able to benefit from the new opportunities that the said developments brings, have access to the resources needed and share in a higher education. For this purpose the DeKUT has established the University Disability mainstreaming Committee, whose overall objective being to address the social, cultural and economic disadvantages experienced by many persons with disabilities. This is done by mainstreaming disability in all University’s policies and programmes.

Specific Objectives of the Committee include :-

1. To sensitize all the members of the DeKUT community on matters pertaining to Disability in order to galvanize their personal commitment and engagement with the mainstreaming agenda.
2. To make appropriate adjustments to all University physical structures policies, practices and environment to ensure that PWDs (students, employees or visitors) can participate equally and without exclusion in the workplace, training rooms, all other social and sporting facilities.
3. Reviewing all DeKUT programs and services to ensure that they are designed to be inclusive, equitable and non-discriminatory, and do not create barriers or reinforce the negative effects of disability.
4. Mainstreaming the policy formulation process to ensure equal and cross gender participation at all levels by PWDs in the University.

These objectives are in line with the University’s vision and mission as stated here below:

1. Vision, To be a premier technological university excelling in Quality training research and technology transfer.
2. Mission, To provide an academically stimulating, diverse, quality learning environment that engenders research, innovation and technology development towards producing leaders to contribute to attainment of national development goals.

Click the links below to download the documents:

• Assistance to persons with disabilities while at DeKUT

• National government efforts to assist the persons with disabilities

Accessible Parking

In Kenya, persons with disabilities are entitled to a barrier-free and disability-friendly environment to enable them to have access to buildings, roads and other social amenities, and assistive devices and other equipment to promote their mobility under section 21 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2003. According to international law, a provision of one disabled car parking space per 20 parking spaces is required. If one has less than 20 parking spaces, one accessible parking space should be provided. DedanKimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) has offered several parking spaces for the disabled all over the University, strategically placed for easy access. Accessible parking spaces are labelled with the international symbol for disability.

Why designate parking spaces for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)? There is a wide range of reasons why accessible parking spaces should be and are provided. First, PWDs, especially those with physical and mobility disabilities, will naturally need more time to move from one place to another. The provision of a parking space closest to a building will to a long way in creating convenience for them.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessible parking spaces are eight (8) feet wide; van-accessible areas are eleven (11) feet wide. Access aisles for either type of space are five (5) feet wide. These adjacent aisles, which can be shared between two areas, provide room for individuals to deploy vehicle-mounted wheelchair lifts and/or unload and use mobility devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, etc. Specific measurements for accessible parking spaces have not yet been provided by the Kenyan government. Most institutions in Kenya, including DeKUT, set accessible areas to be 1.5 times larger than standard parking spaces.

It is essential to note the need for an accessible parking space to be larger than a standard parking space. Some people with disabilities use assistive devices like wheelchairs, crutches, tricycles and many more. PWDs consider these devices as part of them, and they regularly use them to assist in mobility or physical support. These devices should, therefore, be accommodated in a parking space as they alight or board a vehicle.

Vehicles that are used by PWDs in Kenya are labeled with a sticker from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD). These stickers are as of November 2020, going for KSh 200 each. It is essential for a person using accessible parking to label their vehicle to prevent misuse of the spaces or offending other drivers who might need to use these parking spaces. 

TUK-TUK Transport

Are you stranded because of mobility and you are a person living with disability in DeKUT? Worry No More. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) is committed to ensuring that all our students and staff are treated equitably.

Since its inception,the University has been committed to understanding and applying the Social Model of Disability, thereby not focusing on an individual's medical condition or impairment, but instead identifying the impact of disability that prohibits disabled people from achieving equality and inclusion of their needs. DeKUT developed and promulgated the 1st Disability Mainstreaming Policy in 2010 and later revised it in 2017.

The University has made appropriate adjustments to all its physical structures, practices, and environments to ensure that PWDs (students, employees or visitors) can participate equally and without exclusion in the workplace, training rooms, and other social and sporting facilities.

Part of the efforts to realize this vision was developing a transport system (TukTuk) within the University that takes care of students and staff living with disabilities.

Tuk _tuk launch on 24^th October 2018

For the Tuk-Tuk services call the designated driver on 0723591479or the University's Security team on 0719741529 or 0713172876.

DeKUT, the preferred place for Persons Living with Disability.

Covid 19 and Disability

Current research on Covid-19 shows that the Corona Virus Pandemic has increased psychological distress both in the general population and at-risk populations. Behaviours such as social distancing, as well as their socio-economic impacts, are worsening mental health consequences. Research on the psychological impact of mass trauma (e.g. natural disasters, flu outbreaks) suggests that the pandemic might particularly harm the mental health of marginalized populations who have less access to socio-economic resources and supportive social networks (e.g. Goldmann & Galea, 2014).

Some unique stressors and challenges could worsen mental health for people with disabilities during the Covid-19 crisis. Research on past pandemics shows that disabled people find it harder to access critical medical supplies, which can become even more challenging as resources become scarce (Campbell, Gilyard, Sinclair, Sternberg, & Kailes, 2009).

Some people with disabilities report higher levels of social isolation than their non-disabled counterparts (O'Sullivan & Bourgin, 2010). This might be due to the mistaken identification of disabilities as signs or symptoms of a disease. They may experience intensified feelings of loneliness in response to physical distancing measures. According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, social isolation and loneliness have been associated with increases in heart disease, dementia and other health problems. Furthermore, policies around the rationing of medical care can intensify discriminatory attitudes towards disabled individuals during times of crisis (Priestley & Hemingway, 2006). This can understandably worsen your anxiety about getting sick and needing to seek medical care.

As the virus continues to spread, data is critical to informing the public health response. While adequate research on the specific impact of COVID-19 on the disability community is not yet available, several studies are underway or in the planning phase. Data is needed on rates of infections, hospitalizations, outcomes and deaths disaggregated by disability, age, race and income, among other factors, so that we can understand the impact of COVID-19 on multiple vulnerable groups.

National, county and local agencies will need to coordinate and use that data to serve the disability community better.

It is important not to interchange health status with disability. Many people with disabilities are healthy individuals. However, some have underlying or secondary aspects of their disability, like   suppressed immune systems or respiratory concerns that COVID-19 could worsen. Some have underlying acute health conditions, which increase the risk of severe symptoms associated with COVID-19. These may include skin breakouts or urinary tract infections. Being classified as "high risk" in the current pandemic can cause additional stress and fears.

The social gradient of risk may influence policies and decision-making related to access to care or treatments. Medical discrimination is always a dangerous reality for many people with disabilities in need of healthcare. Many disabled adults and disability rights organizations are anxious about how these policies may prevent them from getting equitable and fair treatment. Make sure you and your family knowyour rights.

You should also know your risks and take appropriate care if you have an underlying condition. If in doubt,please consult your doctor.

Gallery

DeKUT Committee for People With Disability (PWD) has established an online platform on the website that was launched by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Eng. Ndirangu Kioni on 16th May, 2018.