Our plight is partly a result of non-recognition by those without handicaps. We do not have representation in crucial policy making institutions such as parliament and local authorities, despite constituting 10 percent of the population. In a ballot, our numbers decide who wins or lose an election, said a disabled woman in Dombotombo, Monica Chirenje.
For us to be represented by able-bodied people in decision making is an insult. We are lobbying in the constitution to be represented by people in our situation who feel and understand difficulties we face as a constituency. A person without disabilities cannot understand our difficult situation, she said.
We thought when Minister Ignatius Chombo talked of appointing special interest councillors he would appoint people with disabilities to represent our interests. Every council has a huge share of people living with disabilities and some special councillors would have served better purpose as representatives of our needs, she added.
She said disabled people also wanted to benefit from scholarships, adding, Disabled people are as capable, if not better.
She was concerned that organisations representing people with disabilities were mainly led by the physically fit, saying leadership and representatives make a living out of our disabilities.
Godfrey Marimo said a huge number of disabled people risked missing the constitution making process debate.
Some people with disabilities have no wheel chairs to reach constitution outreach meetings. The Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) must devise methods to reach disabled people in such situations to avoid the process to become just a token or window dressing exercise. We do not want to be regarded as second class citizens.
Some disabled people refused to comment saying they feared politicians. They had also suffered political violence in the past.
Post published in: Politics