CCC under fire for sidelining deserving PWDs
Disability activists are up in arms with the opposition CCC over its alleged sabotage of a young woman with disability by tampering with the proportional party list for council to sideline her.
According to a woman proportional representation list for Bulawayo City Council seen by Community Podium, Mhlanga was number 7 on the list. The party is accused of relegating PWDs to the bottom of the list.
In circulation, is an unverified audio which reveals how other women in the party manipulated the selection process to sabotage Mhlanga and another woman with albinism.
“USuku kazange afakwe ku Public Relations babehlezi phansi lo sisi lowana oyi albino ngemva kokuba umaGumede ebiziwe ecourt ukuzofaka isignature yabameli bedale lephalamende mina ngabhala ngendlela engangisazi ngayo uSuku wangena wabangowesikhombisa walandelana lalowu akhutshwa laye kodwa ekuphendukeni kukamaGumede wafika watshintsha indlela engangifake ngayo waqalisa ukubhala katsha yikho lapho afaka khona amabizo ababili laba ekucineni ekwazi ukuthi asoze bangene,” claims the woman speaking in the audio.
Gender champion, Samkeliso Tshuma initiated the whole conversation on micro-blogging site X to which users and some activists lapped up to.
”Sukoluhle is a hardworking young woman with a disability (involved) in issues to do with the community, women and Bulawayo. I was heartbroken to learn that unscrupulous people removed her from the women’s quota (local authority)…then we talk about inclusion and representation,” said The Girls Table director.
Disability activist Tsepang Nare says Mhlanga’s exclusion is disheartening in that her hardwork goes unnoticed.
“Political parties must always stand on the side of justice especially in portraying a democratic and inclusive environment because to have a whole local authority with 38 councillors but without inclusion of PWDs is unacceptable especially when they (CCC) claim to have an inclusive agenda.
What happened to Suku is hard to take given that she is one of the deserving candidates to be in the local authority. We have seen her extensive work extensively. Apparently? she did not make it because she is a PWD,” he said.
Another disability activist, Tariro Gurure expressed her displeasure on the issue and added that the exclusion of PWDs is a national problem. She said inclusion of persons with disabilities in leadership and political spaces remains a pipe dream in the country.
“There is a need for collective effort in addressing exclusion of PWDs because they possess the same capabilities and abilities as far as delivering is concerned and it is a sorry sight to have such scenarios as this one. These are set backs in the fight for inclusion. Zimbabwe needs to take practical steps to redress this imbalance.
In the senate there are two representatives of PWDs out of 80 senators but that is problematic again because a whole disability fraternity can not be represented by two people and see meaningful development. Lets give PWDs a chance to show us what they are capable of. I am pained by the pull her down syndrome that crippled Suku’s career. This sets a notion that persons with disabilities are incapable of leading,” she said.
