Disabled Persons cry over cabinet omission

ZAMBIA Union for Persons with Disabilities (ZUPD) has expressed disappointment that despite calls on the new government to consider appointing to cabinet someone from its membership that has not happened.

ZUPD president Pascal Mulenga regretted that the decision by President Hakainde Hichilema not to appoint a member from his union shows that the new government does not care for the plight of people living with disabilities.

He was speaking in Livingstone yesterday.

“Does it mean when you are disabled you can only do things that are backwards...no, in fact we have disabled people who are more educated than those who are not disabled. Some of us are senior lecturers and we are even able to teach better than some of our colleagues. So, we are disappointed,” he said.

Mr Mulenga called President Hichilema to give a guidance on how his government would address issues affecting those with disabilities.

“We are calling on President Hichilema as he will be opening parliament today to give a guideline on how his government will address the challenges that people with disabilities are faced with. Previously, we have had parliaments that have come and gone yet they haven’t discussed issues patterning to disability,” Mr Mulenga said.

He said there were a number of political parties that think when a person with disability is around, that person is supposed to be poor and vulnerable.

“We are calling on the current President to think twice and give us an opportunity if possible to create a department dealing with disability affairs within one of the ministries,” he said.