By Dennis Ndlovu | Zim GBC News
Disability rights activists have called on the government to make the national budget more inclusive and fair, especially for low-income and vulnerable people, including those with disabilities.
Speaking during the National Budget Consultation Conference on 6 October in Bulawayo Tsepang Nare from the National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH) has urged the government to review existing taxes, such as the 2% intermediated money transfer tax (IMTT), and to properly allocate resources towards people living with disabilities.
Nare said that since the introduction of the IMTT in 2017, vulnerable groups have continued to suffer due to a lack of clarity on how the revenue is being used. He proposed that transactions below USD$100 be exempted from the 2% tax, arguing that it places a disproportionate burden on low-income citizens.
Beyond reforming existing taxes, Nare also critiqued the implementation of dedicated disability funding. On the issue of the National Disability Policy, he expressed concern that four years after its introduction, the Disability Levy remains poorly proportionalised and underutilised.
He also suggested that a levy be charged on public buses, as most households now rely on them, and the funds be directed to disability support services.
“About 85% of people living with disabilities in Zimbabwe don’t have assistive devices,” Nare said.
“Without hearing aids, crutches or wheelchairs, how are they supposed to function in society?”
He also highlighted the lack of funding for tertiary education among disabled students, calling for inclusive empowerment policies that match constitutional rights to education and dignity.
Echoing the call for practical support, a participant with a hearing impairment made a passionate plea during national budget consultations in Bulawayo for government-funded sign language interpreters in public institutions, particularly in clinics, hospitals, and schools.
Speaking through an interpreter, the participant highlighted that deaf individuals often face serious barriers when accessing healthcare services due to the absence of interpreters.
“It’s difficult for us when we go to hospitals or clinics because doctors and nurses don’t understand sign language,” they said.
“We are forced to bring our own interpreters and we have to pay them ourselves which is very expensive and not always possible.”
The communication barriers extend beyond healthcare into education, the participant pointed out, citing breakdowns in Matabeleland and limited access to sign language-specialised schools.
“There’s only one school in Harare and one in Bulawayo that accommodates children who use sign language. These are few and far, and also very expensive. For instance, a child from Cowdray Park can’t easily attend King George School.”
He urged the Ministry of Education to expand access and train more teachers in sign language.
“Some teachers find sign language very hard. We need more trained educators to support inclusive learning.”
Adding to the specific health challenges faced by the disability community, Mnkandla Ntandoyenkosi, a prominent albinism advocate and called on the government to prioritise the needs of people with albinism, particularly in tackling skin cancer and ensuring access to essential care and protective products.
Ntandoyenkosi also highlighted the growing threat of skin cancer among people with albinism, especially during Zimbabwe’s scorching summer months.
“Skin cancer is killing many of us, particularly those in rural areas who cannot afford the lotions or the cost of treatment,” he said.
He criticised the lack of accessible treatment facilities for skin cancer outside the capital.
“If I get skin cancer, I have to go all the way to Harare, to Parirenyatwa Hospital, for chemotherapy. Yet here in Bulawayo, we have Mpilo and United Bulawayo Hospital but no dermatologist or proper equipment for treating skin cancer,” he said.
Mnkandla urged the government to decentralise cancer care services.
“It must not be that someone from Tsholotsho or Gwanda must go to Harare to access treatment. At least have something in Bulawayo to help us.”
He also appealed for the free provision of skin lotions, which are essential for people with albinism but remain unaffordable for many.
“These lotions should be given for free in clinics and hospitals just like ARVs. We are not many, and this is our basic need.” He warned that without urgent intervention, more people with albinism would continue to die needlessly from preventable conditions.
“Skin cancer is not just a health issue, it’s a life-or-death matter for us.”
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