Call for PLWD database

REGIS CHINGAWO IN MASVINGO

People living with disabilities in Masvingo are calling on the government to  come up with a database to enable them to be included in  national income generating projects, Business Times has learnt.

The Disability Amalgamated Community Trust (DACT) executive director, Henry Chivhanga told Business Times that knowing the exact number of PLWD databases was vital to providing the services they need.

“We are calling on the government to come up with the actual number of people with disabilities in the country in the form of a database so that it will assist in planning,” Chivhanga told Business Times.

He added: “It makes it difficult to assess their needs.”

Turning to the people with disabilities’ expectations on the Masvingo city council budget for 2022, Chivhanga called on the local authority to come up with a budget that is friendly to their needs.

“We are expecting the council to come up with a budget that addresses economic, social and political rights of people with disabilities,” he said.

Council has to council to uplift their members our members by allocating them market stalls so that they will be able to fend for their families, Chivhanga said.

The constituency also expect the local authority to address issues such as water shortages as people with disabilities are affected more than the residents of Masvingo as they cannot go and fetch water at the boreholes as they are physically challenged.

“On political issues we are expecting that we are given the chance to participate in decision making processes  that affect the city as we have noticed that over the years we have been left out,” Chivhanga said.

His remarks  come at a time when the Masvingo City Council has begun the 2022 pre-budget consultations with residents.