Nairobi — The Government yesterday launched a policy plan for disabled persons in the country.

The 10-year programme dubbed "Kenya National Plan of Action: Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities" makes the country the second in Africa and the third in the world to have such a plan.

Launching the programme in Nairobi, Gender Sports, Culture and Social Services Minister Najib Balala said the basic task in the implementation of the guidelines was the gathering of accurate data on persons with disabilities countrywide to facilitate targeted planning.

"Developing the action plan is still a small step in the long journey towards the fulfillment of our obligations as a nation in respect to the rights of the disabled," he said.

The minister challenged organisations working with physically and mentally challenged people to take advantage of the recently enacted Disability Act as a platform to develop policies aimed at implementing the action.

They include the creation of an accessible environment for people with disabilities to enjoy their rights and contribute to national development.

Present during the ceremony were disabled persons, policy makers and donors.

The plan, covering 1999-2009, is to coincide with the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities, and largely borrows lessons from the Ugandan and Thailand experiences.

The two developing countries recently launched such programmes successfully.