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By Tatenda Muchadenyika
Newly elected president of the National Council of Disabled Persons of Zimbabwe (NCDPZ), Senator Anna Shiri says national development can not be attained without the full participation of persons with disabilities.
Senator Anna Shiri echoed these sentiments in her election to the helm of the organisation at the NCDPZ congress held recently in Gweru. She has been the acting president of NCDPZ since 2021 at the untimely death of Mrs. Farai Chirera.
“I promise that I will continue to advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all national development processes. I am glad that we have a disability policy in place and we will continue to lobby for the full implementation of guidelines in the policy.”
Senator Shiri applauded President Mnangagwa for inculcating a human rights-centered approach to disability in Zimbabwe through effective policies and programmes so as to attain Vision 2030.
“We appreciate President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his unwavering support and walking the talk through his mantra “leave no one behind” towards the disability sector.
The disability policy was crafted as a measure to assist in domesticating provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Zimbabwe ratified.
It is estimated that about 1.4 million people have some form of disability in Zimbabwe. The country was one of the first countries to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013 and remains one of the few nations in Africa with legislation that specifically caters to people with disabilities. By domesticating the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the country would have moved together with other progressive countries in putting disability on the national agenda.
The national disability policy will ensure that facilities such as ramps, for those on wheelchairs and Braille for the visually impaired among other disability-friendly facilities are found in public places.
NCDPZ is a cross-disability mass membership organisation whose primary objective is to ensure disability inclusion and self-representation of persons with disabilities in all facets of development. The formation of the organisation (1975) was in response to and the furtherance of the persistent campaigning and lobbying by persons with disabilities to be included as equal partners in the life and work of the mainstream society.
According to the NCDPZ constitution, the congress is conducted once every 4 years to receive, discuss, and decide upon issues of policy and direction as well as to review the implementation of programmes over the period under review.
The incoming leadership structure is as follows:
President. Annah Shiri (Midlands)
Vice President Development: Augustine Wozheri ( Mash West)
Vice President Gender: Vongai Chichevo ( Masvingo)
Secretary: Leornard Marange (Harare)
Vice Secretary: Elliot Mujaji (Midlands)
Treasurer: Phathani Mlalazi (Harare)
Youth representative: Peter Paradza ( Mash West)