Photo Caption: Principal Secretary, State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs Joseph Motari, CBS, MBS, speaks during the closing ceremony of the International Day of Older Persons 2026 National Conference at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE), Nairobi, on October 2, 2026.
NAIROBI, October 2, 2026 — The Government has assured Kenyans that the Older Persons Bill, 2024 will be enacted before 2027 as the country moves to strengthen legal and social protection systems for its growing population of older persons.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) 2026 National Conference at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE), Nairobi, Principal Secretary, State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs Joseph Motari, CBS, MBS, who represented Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Dr Alfred Mutua, said ageing should be treated as a national development concern.
“Ageing is not a peripheral issue. It is a national development issue. Every generation has a stake in how we prepare for longer lives. Every family, every community and every institution will experience ageing,” he said.
Motari assured older persons that the Government was committed to strengthening systems that protect, support and promote their participation in society, saying a technical team was addressing a section of the Older Persons Bill that requires harmonisation with the Social Protection Act.
He said President William Ruto had committed to ensuring the Bill is signed into law before the expiry of the current Parliament.
Motari said the Government was also working to expand the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme for older persons, with discussions targeting an increase in beneficiaries to between 1.5 million and 1.7 million, while noting the President’s commitment to reach 2.5 million beneficiaries.
“Wazee are the leaders in this country. We must take every opportunity to interact with them, understand their issues and learn from them,” he said.
The PS urged older persons to be included in decisions affecting them and warned communities against exploiting and abusing them, calling for older persons to be accorded their due respect and dignity.
He said the health sector must work closely with social protection, county governments, development partners, civil society, communities and older persons’ organisations to address the needs of an ageing population.
Delivering Mutua’s remarks, Motari said healthy ageing required coordinated action covering healthcare, social protection, income security, housing, community support, participation and rights.
“Let us build a Kenya in which ageing is not feared, older age is not diminished, and every person can look forward to later life with health, security, dignity, purpose and opportunity,” Motari said.
The three-day conference brought together government officials, health professionals, researchers, civil society organisations, development partners and older persons to examine ways of responding to Kenya’s changing demographic profile.
An estimated 3.6 million Kenyans are aged 60 and above, with the number projected to rise to about 12 million by 2050, highlighting the need for stronger systems to support longer and healthier lives.
Participants identified gaps in affordable healthcare, pension adequacy, income security, participation after retirement and the inclusion of older persons in policy-making.
On the final day, older persons accessed free medical, legal and wellness services at the Intergenerational Village, while a Sensitization Booklet on Older Persons and Ageing was launched to raise awareness of ageing, older persons’ rights and stakeholders’ responsibilities.
The conference recommendations will be carried forward through the IDOP 2026 Conference Communiqué, with participants calling for coordinated action to ensure Kenya’s growing older population can live with dignity, security, health and purpose.
