THERESA ZIBOWA
MIRROR REPORTER

CHIKOMBA – Chikomba residents have urged the local authority and the masterplan committee to prioritise People with Disabilities (PWDs) when crafting the district masterplan.
Ward 10 residents told the committee during a consultation held at Charuma Shopping Centre on Saturday that PWDs should be allocated land to carry out agriculture and vending projects.
They said that most PWDs survive through begging because they don’t have land to carry out self-sustaining projects.
Phanuel Shayirayi who is part of PWD community also said that council should have special rates for PWDs as most of them are struggling to earn a living and cannot compete with able bodied vendors and farmers.

“We are appealing to the local authority to also consider the PWD community when crafting the master plan. Council should make sure that the public infrastructure is user-friendly for us.
“Council must also allocate land to the PWD community to carry out various projects which include gardening and vending since a large number of us earn a living through vending. Council should loosen rates for the PWD community,” he said.
Ward 10 councilor Amos Reza said giving PWDs land means that they will desist from begging for a living and focus on various self-empowering projects.
He said his three PWDs from the ward died in hit and run accidents as they were begging along the Harare- Masvingo Highway. He added that his ward has 52 PWDs.
“Public infrastructure should be friendly to PWDs. We have lost three people belonging to this community in a space of 11 months due to road accidents as they will be begging in the streets to earn a living. I am of the view that council should allocate them land for farming and vending purposes,” said Reza.