Knives out for Rowdy Mabaudhi

Members of the disability community have come out guns blazing against one Gift Rowdy Mabaudhi whom they accuse of misrepresenting himself as the champion for the disability cause in a secret bid to secure political mileage for himself.

Writing on Facebook on Sunday Mabaudhi said, "For us in the disability community we scored major victories in this budget. 15 DPOs had tasked me to make representations on their behalf and this happened with less than 72 hours to the budget. I managed to present our case to Prof Mthuli Ncube and surprisingly the good Prof factored them in."

However some members of the disability community said while they welcome the budget, there is little innovation regarding their sector.

"People with disabilities have been importing cars and other assistive devices duty free since the dawn of independence therefore there is nothing new here." Said Sijabulile Mpofu a wheelchair bound man from Bulawayo.

"So for us to hear that there is a man called Mabaudhi  who claims to have been mandated by 15 disability organisations to input in the budget is simple a farce. Firstly, things that we as disabled people have been lobbying the government for a longtime for are not yet addressed and secondly that man Mabaudhi holds no official capacity that we can send him to represent us in budget consultations. He only runs a non-existing  organisation called the National Disability Dialogue.

"Mabaudhi is simply trying to claim false victories and abuse the cause of the disabled for self aggrandizement and political benefits, he is an ambitious person whose thirst for political power will force him to lie like this to earn himself any government position available."

Mpofu further blasted the former Harare special interest Councillor for failing for push for the renovation of Harare Town house to make it accessible to the disabled.
"Mr Mabhaudi is just an ordinary Zanu PF card carrying member who has done very little if anything for people with disabilities. Even as a Special Interest Councillor he failed to make Town House disability accessible.

"Back to the budget we as people with disabilities expected a more comprehensive budget that does not only mention a few items of duty rebate. I am of the view that budget was to create a more enabling environment for people with disabilities. So that our rights and dignities are respected on an equally basis with others, so that we enjoy of the same community services, facilities and amenities as the so called 'normal' people."

Another disabled person person Chiedza Mlambo said if Mabaudhi was indeed consulted by Minister Mthuli Ncube, he was not mandated by anyone.

"As disabled people our plea to government has always been the revision of the disability fund to a the equivalent of a living wage, provision of a realistic disability  empowerment loan scheme, scholarship fund for disabled people who intend to pursue higher education in Zimbabwe, provision of funds for infrastructure modifications to make them disability accessible and a budget allocation for healthcare and assistive devices provision ." Chiedza explained.

South Africa is one of the countries in the region that have lots of progressive policies for the disabled. Many universities have scholarships for students with disabilities.