Rolling Into Addis: A Convoy of Hope and Electric Momentum – Adama to Addis Ababa
How electric transport is opening doors for everyone
Electric mobility in Africa is a technological shift. For advocates like Bernard Chiira, Douglas Injugu, and Daniel Gatura, it represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine public transport as a space where people with disabilities are accommodated and actively included.
“Electric mobility presents a leapfrog opportunity for the public transport sector to make mass transit accessible to wheelchair users,” says Bernard Chiira, Founder and CEO of Assistive Technology for Disability (AT4D).
Designing for Everyone from the Start
The transition to electric buses in Kenya has brought with it design elements inspired by inclusive transport systems abroad. Wheelchair provisions, from secure boarding ramps to specialized safety straps, are already being built into new electric buses entering the market.
Douglas Injugu, Board Member and Trustee at AT4D, emphasizes the importance of inclusive design:
“It’s very important to focus infrastructure with an aspect that considers people with disability.”
This, Bernard explains, is not just a matter of compassion, but of building a robust value chain: “We have to think of it as an industry and as a value chain that has opportunities from manufacturing, retail, and marketing. Persons with disabilities need an equal opportunity to move and participate.”
Innovation at the Wheelchair Level
For Daniel Gatura, Co-Founder of Ace Mobility, inclusion starts with the user’s everyday experience. His team is developing electric add-ons for wheelchairs in collaboration with E-Bike Africa, and has modified vehicles to allow wheelchair users to travel without ever leaving their chair.
“We bring in ramps that allow someone to go into the vehicle while seated in their wheelchair, with special straps and safety belts that keep them secure,” Daniel explains. “If your solution accommodates persons with disabilities, then it can be used by anyone else. That’s what we call an inclusive solution.”
Policy, Capital, and Collaboration
Kenya has made progress in crafting policies that promote disability inclusion, but Bernard believes the real challenge lies in implementation.
“Everything important requires capital commitments. We hope our work inspires others to look at disability inclusion seriously. When people move, capital moves, economies move.”
Douglas adds a reminder that speaks to everyone: “All of us are one step away from a disability.”
The path forward, Bernard concludes, lies in partnership: “The future of inclusive electric mobility will take collaboration, policy, and innovation.”
