The National Assembly has passed the Kenyan Sign Language Bill, 2023 (Senate Bill No. 9 of 2023) with amendments, paving the way for enhanced recognition, regulation and use of Kenyan Sign Language across public institutions, schools, courts, media houses and telecommunications services.

The Bill, co-sponsored by Hon. Millie Odhiambo-Mabona and Hon. Umulkheir Harun, seeks to promote inclusivity and guarantee equal access to information, education and public services for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind.

The legislation gives effect to constitutional provisions that recognize Kenyan Sign Language as an official means of communication and affirm the rights of persons with disabilities to access services through appropriate communication formats.

The Bill establishes the Kenya Sign Language Council, a new statutory body mandated to regulate, develop and preserve Kenyan Sign Language in the country. The Council will be responsible for setting standards for training and practice, registering and licensing sign language interpreters, protecting the communication rights of deaf and deafblind persons, and advising the Government on matters relating to sign language.

The Council will be headquartered in Nairobi but will be required to decentralize its services across the country. Its membership will include representatives from government, the deaf community, sign language interpreters and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

The Bill also introduces far-reaching reforms in the education sector. The Cabinet Secretary responsible for Basic Education will be required to facilitate sign language lessons for parents, guardians and family members of deaf, hard-of-hearing and deafblind children. Kenyan Sign Language will also be integrated into early childhood and basic education curricula, while public institutions of higher learning will be required to provide free interpretation services for learners who need them.

In a major boost for accessibility, television stations will be required to provide closed captioning and a Kenyan Sign Language inset occupying at least one-third of the screen during news broadcasts, educational programmes and national events. Internet-based video content will also be required to include captions or transcripts.

Telecommunication service providers will be compelled to establish relay services, including text, video and captioned communication systems, to facilitate communication for persons with hearing disabilities.

The Bill further creates a comprehensive framework for the registration and regulation of professional sign language interpreters. Practitioners will be required to register with the Kenya Sign Language Council, obtain annual practising certificates and undertake continuous professional development. Only duly registered professionals will be allowed to use the title “Professional Sign Language Interpreter.”

To ensure accountability, the legislation establishes financial and governance structures for the Council, including annual audits by the Auditor-General, mandatory annual reporting and strict conflict-of-interest provisions for Council members.

Once enacted into law, the Bill is expected to significantly strengthen access to education, justice, information and public services for Kenya’s deaf and deafblind communities while advancing the constitutional principles of equality, inclusion and non-discrimination.