Capturing voices of the marginalised

be used as reinforcements to launch a fatal blow that will paralyse the opponent.
That is how things are being done as history is bound to repeat itself as we are likely to witness the similar situation on the national budget presentation day.
The national budget is always subject to both constructive and destructive criticism.
The nation has a habit of making their views known after the presentation of the “controversial paper.”
The period leading to the budget presentation is always dominated by a disturbing silence.
The last sentence that is going to be uttered by Finance Minister Tendai Biti will switch on a gale of voices that will cause shock waves on the walls of the entire Zimbabwean economy. This whole drama is always enjoyed at the expense of the lives of the Zimbabwean populace. As this should not be allowed to continue, there is need to review and carry out a genuine analysis of the needs of people living with disabilities.
This section of the country’s population is always sidelined and left out during and after budget deliberations.
Presentations of national budgets every year are failing to address the plight of the physically challenged.
For too long now, they have been considered an irrelevant population as the national budget is always biased towards the able-bodied.
The previous budgets have made people living with disabilities appear as a heavy burden yet they are capable of performing heroic deeds that lead them into decent lifestyles. The basic needs of people living with disabilities are not fully incorporated into the national budget.
The policy makers are still occupied with the needs of the able-bodied, hence indisputable justification of the omission of the demands of the physically challenged.
This has been going on for far too long and there is need to review the current state of events so as to come up with a long-term solution.
According to the findings presented by the National Association of Organisation of the Handicapped, 75 percent of people living with disabilities do not have identification documents.
These and other shortfalls will automatically point to the fact that many people living with disabilities are not employed and they always fail to live decent lives.
Many people living with disabilities in most cases need health services from specialists, yet they can not afford such services. Several budgets have failed to address this situation. Basic needs like brail and hearing aids are too expensive hence being viewed as luxury by those who cannot do without these essential gadgets.
The prices of wheelchairs and clutches are too expensive and many people cannot afford them hence denied their inalienable right to movement.
Funds must be channelled towards addressing this situation before anything else.
Several Government buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) are not disability friendly and accessing them is a challenging undertaking.
There is need to renovate several buildings and ensure that they have ramps for easy access by the wheelchair users.
All toilets must be disability friendly. It is surprising to see local authorities converting the only disability friendly toilet along Rezende Street into an office, maybe they act as per the dictates of the national budget.
Access to quality education is a dream never to come true as the Government is yet to make schools in remote areas disability friendly.
Few disability friendly schools that we have in our country are beyond the reach of the poor.
People living with disabilities must be given loans so that they will start income generating projects and stop relying on meagre monthly subsidiaries offered by the Social Welfare. More attention must be given to the physically challenged people, who are over 36 years. Why?
The Ministry of Gender, Women Affairs and Community Development is currently taking care of the needs of the physically challenged women.
The Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment is prioritising the demands of the physically challenged, who are below the age of 36. However, the physically challenged males, who are over 36 years are not being catered for.
The responsible authorities as governed by their genuine reasons have decided to treat people living with disabilities differently. History tells us that they used to be treated equally, that is the time when children born with physical challenges were killed regardless of sex or age.
It is a noble deed if the national budget addresses the demands of the physically challenged.
The much-awaited national budget must cater for the needs of the physically challenged and stop promoting dependence syndrome through once-off events.
After the budget presentations, we hope to see people living with disabilities coming with project proposals seeking funds to help better their lives.
The national budget must follow a new path that will ensure full participation of people living with disabilities in the mainstream economy.
This will change the perception currently held by many amongst us of viewing the physically challenged people as a burden to the Government coffers.
They are the major contributors to the economy  provided they are offered the right platform, through a properly planned budget. People living with disabilities are more concentrated in the vending business as dictated by the status quo. The able-bodied are prioritised over the physically challenged although it is a fact that disability knows no bounds and no one is immune to it.
Disability is as old as human kind but issues like HIV and Aids are being prioritised at the expense of the lives of the physically challenged.
There is need for a paradigm shift in the way things are being done. Let us wait and see what the new budget will bring to the table.