The Sunday News
Clementine Phulu, Sunday News Reporter
PEOPLE with disabilities in Bulawayo on Tuesday received a donation of wheelchairs that were donated by President Mnangagwa.
The donation was a follow-up to last year’s Zimbabwe National disability Expo which was held in Marondera.
10 wheelchairs were handed over to the beneficiaries and ten others are yet to come for distribution.
Director office of special advisor on disability issues in the office of the President and Cabinet, Mr Macnon Chirinzepi said this was an initiative that the office of the President and Cabinet undertake every year to empower people with disabilities.
“This is basically a follow-up to our Zimbabwe national disability expo which is an initiative that we undertake as the office of the president and the cabinet every year to empower people with disabilities and to make sure that we spearhead their rights, advocating for their rights and make sure that they also showcase what they are capable of doing in respective of their disability.
“Hence, we say disability is not inability. So, this is a follow-up to the expo where the theme was saying ‘a participatory and inclusive society which leaves no one behind ‘so these wheelchairs were. donated by his excellency Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa to the people with disability throughout the country,” he said.
He said this initiative is for empowering persons with disabilities whom they are saying they cannot talk of an inclusive society when some people are still being compromised. So, they found it better to first give them wheelchairs so that they can fully participate on their own.
“This initiative from His Excellence Dr ED Mnangagwa is to make sure that those with disabilities, those with mobility challenges can move from one point to another. The issue is meant to make sure that people with disabilities are part and parcel of our society, they should be seen as equals we should not discriminate against them, and we should move with them hence, the second republic is walking the talk let’s embrace people with disability,” said Mr Chirinzepi.
One of the beneficiaries Ms Caren Lusinga said they are very excited about what the government is doing for them.
“We are so excited with what the government is doing for us, it made us very important by donating these wheelchairs that we received, we are now going to be able to visit our friends, go to church, and do other activities that we were not able to perform. We thank the government for this gift,” she said.
