President’s office assists people living with disabilities

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
ABOUT 200 people living with disabilities in Gwanda Town have received food assistance from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).

The OPC is distributing rice to people living with disabilities across all 10 provinces in the country as an early Christmas present. About 700 beneficiaries are being targeted in each province.

Speaking yesterday during a ceremony to handover the rice to beneficiaries, special advisor to the President on disability issues, Dr Joshua Malinga said the gesture by the President was a sign that Government under the new dispensation was concerned with improving the livelihoods and welfare of people with disabilities.

Each beneficiary received four kilograms of rice. “My appointment by the President as an advisor is a sign that he realises the importance of people with disabilities and is concerned with their welfare and livelihoods.

In the second republic we want to address the issue of discrimination against people with disabilities. I have been assigned by the President to handover rice which is coming from his office.

“The Government is also working on legislation that seeks to address the welfare of people with disabilities and address issues of discrimination. We have the Disability Policy which is being crafted which will state how people with disabilities must be treated in various spheres.

It also seeks to mainstream issues of empowerment of people living with disabilities and champion their rights. A director for disability in the Ministry of Social Welfare has also been appointed. The Disabled Persons Act is also being reviewed in order to address loopholes that exist,” he said.

Dr Malinga raised concern about people with disabilities still being discriminated while others were being excluded from development projects. He said it remained a concern that some buildings were still not accessible to people with disabilities.

He urged people with disabilities in various districts to set up committees from provincial level right down to the grassroots level which could be used to lobby for their rights at various platforms.

Dr Malinga said the committees could also be used to identify and compile a database for people with disabilities and the needs they have.-@DubeMatutu