ORGANISATIONS representing people living with disabilities (PLWDs) in Zimbabwe have implored  government and organisations responsible for organising and managing elections to consider adopting systems that favor the disabled.

By Michael Gwarisa

Briefing Journalists in the capital, Deaf Zimbabwe’s Barbara Nyangari said the electoral process for Zimbabwe was lagging behind neighbouring countries like Zambia who have developed ballot literature and systems which are disability friendly.

“We are very much concerned about the lack of progress when it comes to discussing disability inclusion in our country in terms of education and electoral participation. In many cases, the excuse of we do not have resources has come but even when resources are available, you do not see much traction with issues to do with disabilities.

“When you look at even the electoral processes, where there is possibility, I am very sure a number of electoral commissioners attending election observation in other countries, I am very sure how they have they have seen how Zambia and South Africa have improved access to electoral processes to the disabled, but still in Zimbabwe there is still that excuse of we don’t have money,” said Nyangari.

She also castigated the education sector for ignoring the basic needs of disabled children at all levels: “[pullquote]If you are to visit the ministries of both primary and secondary education, you will that all information is either written in English or the indigenous languages but they do not have sign language syllabus there because it has not been developed.”[/pullquote]

Disability Rights Activist and Lawyer, Abraham Mateta also took a swipe at the two main political parties Zanu PF and the MDC for driving selfish agendas with regards to electoral reforms which ignore the basic needs of people living with disabilities with regards to the electoral process.

“I have been listening to various groups and political parties with the other saying that it wants to demonstrate against the lack of electoral reforms while the other is saying it wants to march in solidarity with the President for effecting electoral reforms.

“What I have not heard from those groups, is them pushing for electoral processes that are disability friendly,” said Matata.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe will be going for watershed harmonised elections in a few weeks’ time amidst great fears by the opposition that the playing field is not yet level and could be a fertile rigging ground.