Members of the Fourth Estate during a media briefing ahead
of Kenya’s inaugural national celebrations of the International Day of Older
Persons on September 28 / HANDOUTKenya will hold its first national celebration of the International Day of Older Persons from September 30 to October 3 for discussions on healthy ageing and the rights of older persons.
It will bring together government officials, health practitioners, researchers, older persons, private sector organisations, communities and other stakeholders for a four-day programme to be held in Nairobi and across the 47 counties, with the national activities centred at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE).
Assistant Director, Social Development Julie Omolo said the programme will be held under the theme, “Advancing Healthy Aging and Older Persons' Rights in Kenya: A Coordinated Health, Social Protection, and Community Action.”
The programme will begin on September 30 with a session at KISE focusing on research on geriatric medicine, long-term care and healthy ageing.
Omolo said 131 abstracts have been submitted for the research session, which will bring together evidence on issues affecting older persons.
The national programme will continue on October 1 and 2 with the Silver Dignity Walk, a scientific and national conference and an intergenerational village.
The scientific conference will bring together policymakers, practitioners and researchers to examine evidence on older persons according to Jane Muita saying they will also include case studies and issues around health, social protection and rights.
She said the conference will not focus only on medical science but will also include evidence from the social sciences.
“We want to have a healthy conversation that is backed by evidence,” Muita said.
The intergenerational village will provide a platform for younger and older people to engage in discussions on issues affecting different generations.
Micheni Makena said the forum will use debates and conversations to challenge stereotypes about ageing and allow younger and older people to discuss issues including retirement, caregiving, leadership and the responsibilities of different generations.
Makena said the discussions would include questions on whether retirement should be mandatory, whether adult children should be responsible for caring for their older parents and whether older people should leave leadership positions to younger generations.
She said the forum will also examine the value of experience and mentorship, including how older people can continue working with younger generations and passing on knowledge.
“We are going to have a very heated debate,” Makena said.
On October 3, activities will move to the counties, with celebrations and outreach programmes planned across the 47 counties.
She said more than 30 counties had confirmed plans to hold medical camps specifically targeting older persons and their caregivers.
The activities will include medical camps, cancer screening, surgical operations, provision of assistive devices and social protection awareness.
Ministry of Health
Division of Healthy Ageing, Palliative Care and Older Persons Esther
Muinga speaks during a media briefing ahead of Kenya’s inaugural national
celebrations of the International Day of Older Persons on September 28, 2026/ HANDOUT
Ndonye said counties will also organise wellness activities, including football and volleyball matches, running races, physical exercises, traditional dances and choirs involving older persons.
Some counties will also recognise older persons who have made contributions to their communities, while others are planning tree-planting activities.
Nandi county has already started activities, including medical camps across six sub-counties and running events involving older persons.
Other counties, including Kiambu, Makueni and Bungoma, have also planned activities targeting older persons.
The county programme will also include discussions on elder abuse and the needs of caregivers.
“The question is, who cares for the caregivers?” Ndonye said, noting that some people caring for older relatives are also working and need financial and psychological support.
Intergenerational forums will also be held at county level to connect younger people with older persons and create opportunities for mentorship and the sharing of knowledge and life skills.
Ndonye said the organisers also want counties to involve local media, including radio stations, in covering the activities and reporting on issues affecting older persons in their communities.
Member of the planning committee for the International Day of Older Persons Maurice Omollo said the national programme will also bring attention to issues such as health insurance, sanitation, age-friendly infrastructure, social protection and ageism.
Omollo said private sector organisations will be involved in the programme, with the Kenya KCB Group, Safaricom, Suqoon and other organisations participating in activities supporting older persons.
He said the conference will also provide an opportunity to discuss social protection and income security, including the challenges faced by people who retire before qualifying for some government support programmes.
Omollo said the discussions would focus on what he described as the three Cs for older persons: “cash, care, and compassion.”
The organisers are also calling on the media to cover both the Nairobi programme and county activities.
Omolo said the media should continue reporting on ageing beyond the four-day event and give older persons a voice in discussions about their lives, rights and contributions.
The programme will therefore run from the opening research session at KISE on September 30 through the national activities on October 1 and 2 before county-level activities on October 3.
The organisers said the national event is intended to trigger continuing conversations on ageing rather than remain a once-a-year celebration.
