BULAWAYO - A body representing Zimbabwe's disabled people has expressed its dissatisfaction over a parliamentary-led constitution making process. Watson Khuphe, the deputy chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Disability Board (ZNDB) said:“The whole consultation process led by parliament is a farce. If the government was serious about the process, they should have appointed an independent organ to do the consultations. As an organisation, we have resolved not to take part in a flawed process that will obviously yield a flawed result.”
Disabled people constitute 10 per cent of the country’s population. The national disability board was created by an Act of Parliament in 1993 and was amended in 1996.
The ZNDB joins the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and many other civic groups opposed to the dominance of politicians in the constitution making process.
Khuphe said although the board was aware of the efforts being made by the government, it still felt that there were flaws that needed to be addressed. He expressed concern that the constitution making process seemed to be sidelining the physically challenged.
“Not much is being done to ensure that we also take part. For instance, during the public consultation on the constitution making process in Bulawayo recently, there were no interpreters to translate what was being said to the deaf in sign language,” said Khuphe.
He added: “These are some of the little things that marginalise these people from taking part in the process.”
Post published in: News