Drama eruted at Harambee House, the seat of Kenya’s presidency, as Phyllis Anyango Ouko, a long-serving administration secretary, defiantly locked herself in her first-floor office for three consecutive nights. Ouko, who uses a wheelchair, resisted a forced relocation to the eighth floor, citing grave accessibility and safety concerns amidst ongoing renovations. Her courageous ignited a national conversation about the treatment of civil servants with disabilities and the government’s adherence to its own accessibility policies.
Ouko, who has dedicated over two decades to public service, alleges that the proposed move is “malicious” and disregards her disability. She fears being stranded in the event of an elevator malfunction or power outage on the eighth floor, a concern she claims has gone unaddressed by authorities. “I’ve asked them what safety measures have been put in place to ensure my safety when there is a malfunction or power outage, but they haven’t given me a substantive answer,” Ouko told Citizen TV. She further alleges that more convenient and accessible offices exist closer than the eighth floor, yet her pleas to Chief of Staff Felix Koskei have been ignored.
Phyllis Anyango Ouko(on the left) and Chief of Staff Felix Koskei(on the right)
The secretary, whose office is reportedly the last remaining on the first floor, believes her space is slated for demolition the moment she vacates it. “All my things, including documents, are in here. I can’t go outside because I am being tracked, like a rat. The moment I get out, they will demolish this office. The head of state wants the entire floor for himself, including my office,” Ouko alleged, visibly distressed. She emphasized that any relocation must include proper planning for safe evacuation and assistive facilities.
This incident directly contravenes Kenya’s Disability Policy & Guidelines for the Public Service, which mandates 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”. The policy also stipulates that “Emergency measures shall also be put in place to ensure that persons with disabilities can safely and effectively evacuate the workplace to an area of safety”. Furthermore, the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, signed into law by President William Ruto on May 8, 2025, requires public and private entities to ensure full accessibility in physical spaces, including buildings.
Ouko’s unwavering resolve has garnered widespread attention and support from fellow civil servants and disability rights advocates, who criticize government institutions for failing to prioritize the needs of staff with disabilities during infrastructure upgrades.
