Woman living with disability accuses Felix Koskei of attempting to forcefully evict her from Harambee House
Woman living with disability accuses Felix Koskei of attempting to forcefully evict her from Harambee House
A career civil servant woman in the Office of the President has spent the last three nights in her office at Harambee House to guard against the demolition of her office to make way for renovations.
Phyllis Anyango Ouko, who occupies the office of Secretary, Administration in the Ministry of Interior, has resisted her relocation from the first floor to the eighth floor on the grounds of accessibility.
Phyllis, who utilises a wheelchair, says she would be stranded should the lifts be grounded for servicing, malfunction, power failure, or even an emergency.
She says her pleas to the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei for consideration have fallen on deaf ears.
“Ndio nakwambia this thing can fall anytime… I can’t get out because I’m being timed like a rat. Orders have been given; the moment she gets out of there, demolish the office,” she said.
Phyllis, who says she has spent the last 20 years in the civil service, struggles to be heard above the din of construction works right outside her office door.
Her office alone is left standing, with the rest of the first floor in the Office of the President, Harambee House, flattened to make way for renovations. She had been instructed to relocate to the eighth floor to allow for renovation works.
“The head of civil service wants the entire floor to himself. He’s not budging. He wants a bigger office that befits his stature. At least those who were there before listened,” stated Phyllis.
Phyllis, who requires the assistance of a wheelchair to move around, says such a move would be a threat to her safety as, without the use of a lift, she would be stranded.
“What if there is an emergency? Who will carry me down? The lift was disabled when I got here, and I had to be carried up the stairs. We almost fell,” she added.
Phyllis, who says her repeated pleas for consideration have fallen on deaf ears, has therefore spent the last three nights in her office so that it may be spared.
“Why not even move me to the third or fourth floors?” She posed.
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“That’s why I’m here to speak out, because nobody is listening, nobody is fighting for me. I’ve struggled to get where I am. It’s not been easy.”
In May, President William Ruto signed the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, into law.
In the Constitution of Kenya Persons with Disabilities 54(2), it reads that the State shall ensure the progressive implementation of the principle that at least five per cent of the members of the public in elective and appointive bodies are persons with disabilities.
The Persons with Disabilities PSC Report on Constitutional Principle says the representation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the public service was at 4,068 (1.8%), meaning the 5% constitutional threshold had not been attained.
There was, however, an improvement of 0.3% from the 1.5% representation reported during the 2022/2023 financial year.
The Disability Policy & Guidelines for the Public Service Accessibility & Safety of Built Environment notes that: “Every public service institution shall, in deploying public officers, take due care to ensure that the duty station, workstation, and work environment are conducive to public officers with disabilities. Emergency measures shall also be put in place to ensure that persons with disabilities are able to safely and effectively evacuate the workplace to an area of safety.”
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