By Decide Nhendo
The number of persons with disabilities who are begging for food and other handouts in Masvingo City is growing and responsible authorities should intervene.
Most of them make daily routines of waiting near supermarkets, banks, crossroads and other public areas asking for help from passersby.
Speaking to TellZim News, Masvingo City Council Mayor Alec Tabe said the increase of PWDs in Masvingo CBD and Mucheke bus terminus was worrying, and council going to make an effort to make sure that the issue is attended to.
“We are having a worrying problem concerning the increasing number of PWDs in Masvingo, and as council of course we are trying to make sure that this problem is dealt with so that PWDs can have decent lives,” said Tabe.
“We want PWDs to have their own share whenever there is any development with council budgets to accommodate PWDs giving them a decent fund.
“In a bid to stand for PWDs, council does not approve structures with plan that do not accommodate PWDs,” said Tabe.
He said PWDs who stay at Mucheke were increasing and there was need for council to locate another area to accomodate them.
“The number of PWDs at Mucheke is increasing and that’s worrisome, there is need for allocation of new a area for them to live because they are overcrowded making them defenseless to communicable diseases, said Tabe.
Disability rights activist Godfrey Mtimba said council should do something for PWDs because the number of those looking for help was increasing given the harsh economic situation and El Nino induced drought.
“Council must do something fast given the drastic increase of PWDs in town because they have no option but to go into street corners to beg for food.
“The country’s economic situation and El Nino induced droughts are factors that must not be undermined because they have worsened the ways of lives for persons with disabilities,” said Mtimba.
He said government must copy what is being done by neighboring countries like South Africa who are giving persons with disabilities monthly allowances so they can have decent lives.
“Government must do what countries like South Africa are doing giving persons with disabilities monthly allowances so they can have better lives than flooding in towns looking for help,” said Mtimba.
Last week parliamentary representatives of persons with disability were at Mucheke Hall in Masvingo where they were doing consultations with the PWDs and various stakeholders. The PWDs called for government to prioritize them in policy making as well as in other benefits from government.
The Persons with Disabilities Bill was published in the Government Gazette on the 9th February but has not yet been presented in Parliament. It proposes to replace the existing Disabled Persons Act to bring the country’s law into line with the Constitution and Zimbabwe’s international obligations.
Prevalence of disability in Zimbabwe was estimated to be 11 percent and was 9.5 percent last year according to the Zimbabwe 2022 Population and Housing Census Report.
