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Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has appointed disability rights advocate Richard Mativu Musau to the National Board for Social Protection. Musau takes the board seat for persons with disabilities.
Musau is the Country Director of Light for the World in Kenya. He will serve on the board for three years, starting 23 Oct 2026.
The appointment was made in Gazette Notice No. 16730, dated 23 Oct 2026. The same notice names two other board members: Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU-K) Secretary General Dr Francis Atwoli, and Kenneth Odire.
Who the three members represent
The Cabinet Secretary made the appointments using his powers under section 10 (f) of the Social Protection Act (No. 12 of 2025).
Each new member fills a different slot in that section:
- Dr Francis Atwoli, under sub-paragraph (i), for trade unions
- Kenneth Odire, under sub-paragraph (ii), for employers' organisations
- Richard Mativu Musau, under sub-paragraph (iii), for persons with disabilities
This means persons with disabilities have their own seat on the board, next to workers and employers.
All three serve for three years, with effect from 23 Oct 2026.
What the board does
Under the Act, the board advises the Cabinet Secretary on social protection. It also helps coordinate social assistance programmes, supports vulnerable groups and keeps a registry of the people who benefit.
About Richard Mativu Musau
Musau is one of the leading voices in Kenya's disability rights movement. As Country Director, he heads Light for the World's work in Kenya.
Light for the World is an international disability and development organisation. Its work covers eye health, inclusive education, economic empowerment and the rights of persons with disabilities.
Why it matters
Social protection is the support government gives to people facing poverty, old age, illness or disability. In Kenya, it includes the Inua Jamii cash transfers, which reach older persons, orphans and vulnerable children, and persons with severe disabilities.
Decisions about these programmes, and about who gets onto the beneficiary registry, shape daily life for many persons with disabilities and their families. For the next three years, a disability rights leader will be in the room where that work is guided.
What should the National Board for Social Protection prioritise for persons with disabilities? Tell us.
Source: Kenya Gazette Notice No. 16730, dated 23 Oct 2026, and the Social Protection Act (No. 12 of 2025).
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