Time Is Money: How Inaccessibility Steals Hours Every Week.

In Kenya, as in many parts of Africa, persons with disabilities are often forced to pay a hidden tax that others rarely notice: the tax of lost time. Time wasted navigating inaccessible systems whether on the road, in government offices, or online, is time stolen from work, family, education, and rest. And as the saying goes, time is money.

Across the continent, inaccessible transport remains one of the clearest examples. A study in South Africa’s Tshwane Metro found that unreliable public transport, lack of information, and inaccessible vehicles forced wheelchair users to spend more hours just getting to their destinations compared to commuters without disabilities (MDPI Journal of Social Sciences). In Kenya, despite progressive disability rights under Article 54 of the Constitution and the new Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, many public service vehicles remain unfriendly to wheelchair users, persons with visual impairments, or those with limited mobility. This means individuals are left either waiting longer, rerouting their journeys, or paying more for private alternatives.

The story is similar in digital access. Many government portals and online services are not designed with accessibility in mind. Forms that cannot be read by screen readers, websites with poor colour contrasts, or systems that require multiple visits to physical offices force persons with disabilities to spend hours completing simple tasks. A survey in the UK revealed that 60% of people with disabilities experience regular disruption in their journeys, with a third avoiding trips altogether because they are “too complicated or unsafe” (UK Parliament Committee Report). Replace “UK” with “Kenya,” and the findings would still ring true.

The economic consequences are profound. Hours lost to inaccessible systems translate into missed job interviews, lost productivity, and fewer opportunities for advancement. A UK survey showed that nearly one in four job seekers with disabilities had to decline opportunities because they simply could not get there (Parliamentary Publications). In Kenya, where unemployment rates among persons with disabilities already remain high, inaccessible infrastructure only deepens this gap.

But there is also a human cost. Constant delays and repeated requests for accommodations chip away at dignity and independence. The emotional labour of always having to explain one’s needs is exhausting. Instead of empowering learners, workers, and citizens with disabilities, poorly designed systems drain them of energy that could otherwise fuel productivity and creativity.

The good news is that these barriers are not inevitable they are the result of design choices. And better choices can be made. Universal Design principles ensure that systems are accessible to the widest range of users from the start, whether in transport, digital services, or education. Assistive technology, when properly funded and integrated, saves not only time but also builds independence. Stronger enforcement of Kenya’s Persons with Disabilities Act (2025) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) would hold institutions accountable for ensuring accessibility.

This is not only a disability issue, but also a national development issue. Kenya cannot fully achieve Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) or SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) while forcing millions of citizens to waste hours each week navigating barriers. Time equity must be seen as part of economic equity.

Accessibility saves more than money. It saves time, dignity, and opportunity. And in the end, a society that values all its people equally will stop forcing some of them to budget extra hours just to live on an equal basis with others.

Article by: Emmanuel Brian Mbuthia