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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Handicapped (ZCH) which is now called Zambia for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) when the handicapped Act of 1968 was repealed in 1996 and replaced it with Act number 33 of 1996.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.
Centre for Disability Development Research Law and Policy a Regional governance and human right NGO is concern with the operation of ZAPD since 2011 under the leadership of Patriotic Front as a Party in Government. Both management and the Board of ZAPD has failed persons with Disabilities in Zambia despite the good political will shown by Patriotic Front in both 2011 to 2016 Party manifesto and 2016 to 2021 Party manifesto which clearly outline the vision of PF and the good intension addressing challenges persons with Disabilities are facing under the able leadership of his Excellency Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu the President of the Republic of Zambia.
In both commitments outlined in Party manifestos creation of employments and improved service delivery to persons with disabilities through establishing of district rehabilitation and habitation centres was at the centre stage of PF Government but seven years down the line nothing has happened. As a centre we are still asking the President to remove disability functions from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare which has failed to provide leadership for 30 years as we do not expect any miracle in the remaining three years before 2021 general elections, This has been our call and we shall continue because it’s a standard internationally because disability is no longer a social issue but a development agenda.
PF Government must understand that Zambia Agency for Persons with Disability is not a Disability NGO or a Disabled People’s Organization commonly referred to as DPO but a Government agency charged with responsibility to coordinator disability functions on behalf of Government and the people of Zambia in line with its mandated provided under disability Act number 6 of 2012. The Continued treating Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities as a DPO has taken the agency back to the time of Zambia Council for the Handicapped whose administration was rejected by cooperating partners and unless Government urgently review the performance of ZAPD now otherwise Persons with Disabilities will continue begging in the streets and centres created to provide sheltered employments for them remain white elephant.
If persons with Disabilities expect anything good from ZAPD under the leadership of acting Director General Ms. Julien Mwape they will soon be shocked because she has clearly indicated to us that Zambian disabled people are lazy and what is needed for them is Queen Elizabeth Poor Laws the historical Precedents of Tax-Supported Relief for the Poor which means to her disabled people are poor who only need charity and this law will make it possible for local authorities to force individuals and families to leave a town and return to their home parish if they became dependent. As far as ZAPD is concerned under the current leadership disabled people must be forced to leave towns because they are dependents of ZAPD which clearly shows that they have failed to manage the agency.
As a centre we are further asking for his Excellency the President Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu to appoint a commission of injury to look into the operation of ZAPD and how sheltered employment can be revisited in line with the vision of Patriotic Front Party manifesto and the commission compromise of disability experts. The PF Government has the ability to address challenges persons with disabilities are facing because the President has the heart for the Disabled, The first lady has a passion for persons with Disabilities and Secretary General Hon Davies Mwila has been a strong voice for persons with disabilities making this Government unique and disability friendly.
The commission will allow Zambians and disability stakeholders to distinguish the difference between a Government disability agency and a disabled people’s Organization in terms of leadership and service provision. As a centre we followed with keen interest implementation of Patriotic Front Party manifesto particularly disability chapters which will hope to use as a measure of PF in Government performance in 2021 and beyond.
Professor Charles Mwape (PhD)
Disability Policy Analyst for Africa Centre for Disability Development Research Law and Policy