CDDRLP Web Editor
South Africa Residential School
Centre react to claims by Acting Director General of ZAPD that Professor Charles Mwape is an impostor-Dr Ntshangese
Press Statement for Immediate Release on the claim by Acting Director General of ZAPD that Professor Charles Mwape is an impostor
Centre for Disability Development Research Law and Policy Africa office wish to react to the statement aired on your radio today the 7th June 2018 at 1 PM Zambian time issued by a Ms. Julien Mwape Acting Director General for Zambia Agency for persons with Disabilities.We have received calls and emails from stakeholders inquiring our position on this serious allegations and our position is that Professor Mwape is our Disability Policy Analyst for Africa within this Organization under democratic governance and human right office.
Further the statement issued by Professor Mwape on 6th June, 2018 entitled “Operation of Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD)” was cleared by our media team and it had a blessing of the centre as it was within our mandate to hold disability institutions accountable in Africa which was emailed to over 26 media houses and published on our website on www.cddrlp.com
In the said statement Professor Mwape never claimed to be a staff of Zambia Agency for persons with Disabilities or claim to speak on behalf of ZAPD, therefore the claim by ZAPD are malicious on the professional standing of Professor Mwape not only in Zambia but Internationally.
Dr. Ntshangese Sibusiso Bongani
President
Centre for Disability Development Research Law and Policy
I am not a politician but a disability activist-Dr Charles Mwape
Good morning brothers and sisters, Allow me this morning to briefly share with you my passion for persons with disabilities and hope you will agree or reason with me…. I was born from Blind mother in Mufulira back in 1970 and as a young boy I use to ask a lot of questions why me, why me, why me having a Blind poor mother and not my friends. Later on mum got married and we moved to Ndola at Kambowa Blind centre which is one of the 17 farms of Zambia Council for the Handicapped (ZCH) which is now called Zambia for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) when the handicapped Act of 1968 was repealed in 1996 and replaced it with Act number 33 of 1996.
As children of the disabled parents we are told that in disability family a child of one disabled is a child of all disabled, there you need to help and support every disabled person you see around you and I have grown with this philosophy. Since my childhood most of my friends were disabled and children leaving in the street that even today that has never change that you can go in Cairo road and ask any Blind or street child about my number they will give you. Back in Ndola we stayed in 10 of blind farms out of 17 farms but I have been to all farms this means that I know good and bad side of disabled farms in Zambia and when I speak I do that with passion and my strong attachment to disabled people.
Why sharing this???????????????????? I am doing this that so you my friends you may know that I don’t speak for persons with disabilities for money or benefit but because what affect them affect me emotionally. When I was young I promised my mother that when I grow up I will defend any injustice against persons with disability and it’s that promise which drive me.
Sadly yesterday young comrade of mine said to me that it look like an opposition Political Party is using me to fight Patriotic Front through disability issues. Let me say this as I conclude I support Patriotic Front and His Excellency the President Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu for only one reason and that is Patriotic Front Party is the only political Party in Africa with a well-articulated disability chapter in the Party manifesto and the only Party in Zambia with clear agenda for persons with disabilities.
Apart from that I have nothing do it with PF or any Political Party without disability agenda because I am not a politician but a disability activist.
My promise to mum still stand in this life or the next, stay blessed.