By Hakainde Hichilema
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is observed every 3rd December of each year, to promote the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities and to take special measures in the incorporation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of community development of any nation. The year’s theme is ‘Building Back Better: towards a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World’.
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly disrupted routines, and diminished services that have negatively impacted the lives and mental well-being of people with disabilities.
In Zambia, people with disabilities face many unmitigated challenges, the most critical one being access to different special services, and the non-regulation of necessary legal frameworks that alleviate the suffering of persons with disabilities.
We are therefore aware that these challenges are exacerbated by among other things, the inadequate mainstreaming of
disabilities in the overall legislative framework; inadequate integration in government and other stakeholders policies, and the lack of, or in some cases insufficient awareness among the different intervenors, and the roles they can play in supporting persons with disabilities claim their rightful place among their ordinary counterparts.
As UPND, we will work on eliminating bottlenecks and vulnerabilities that inhibit people with disabilities in realising their full potential to contribute to their wellbeing, as well as fully participate in activities of their communities without any form of discrimination.
We wish all our citizens, especially persons with disabilities, a successful ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ commemoration day. Disability is not inability, as UPND we will leave no one behind. God bless you.
Says the same arrogant guy who demanded his MPs to vote against bill 10 which would have offered more protections and rights to the disabled. Don’t give us that rubbish my friend.
Akainde tesana
…”we will leave no behind”. I wish he can be more original, not just coping things.
Just the other day, he locked his brainwashed and gullible MPs from voting for a bill that would have given a huge voice to the disabled in parliament and today he comes out like this. Satana ni satana
Ni Copy and paste politics fye iyi
hh are you trying to make up for the people whose rights you denied in Bill 10?
Ba hh 5 times loser kuwayawa fye
Those of us who have dealt with Hichilema before wouldn’t waste time reading an article attributed to him. We know that it’s image builders at work. Hichilema is already in our garbage bin.
Damage control for denying the disabled their rights by shooting down Bill 10.
Wikalila
Once again no clarity on the policies to eliminate the vulnerability that Disabled people face. Anyway he will Fix you!
I thought this guy bought food from Hungry Lion for his MPs to stay away from parliament so that bill 10 which among other things addressed issues for the disabled does not go through? HH’s advisers must be comedians or they just enjoy paying with the yo-yo ichilema. The told him to go say ch!kala in Kasama and then later the told him to use another word that sounds insulting in most Zambian languages. Most documentaries I have seen with very touching disability incidences are from his strongholds and yet he has not come to the aid of any of his people. Such kind of work has been left the ECL and Easter.
You Don’t need Bill 10 to empower the disabled! Our Constitution already provided for the Youths, women and the disabled. Remember we are all potentially disabled from the risk of diseases and injury! PF wanted to use the disabled as usual for political gain. The Law is clear on provisions for the vulnerable in our society! What is political Will! The truth about Bill 10 is it was meant to legalize not only a Third term but many illegals! PF’S attempted rape of our constitution will be revisited in future and all Bill 10 Architects must be made to give an account! Mulandu is mulandu!