Disabled people of Zimbabwe arise...it's time to fight

Dear friends, persons with disabilities, disability activists, disability development workers and all who wish us well:

Revolutionary greetings from Kenya. The situation has reached another level! I have received the sad news that one of us, DR. Edmos Mthethwa, chief director Social Services  was suspended yesterday. In a letter written to him by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Labour and social Welfare, DR. Edmos Mthethwa is being charged with a misconduct of "hating doctor Peta" (The Director Disability Affairs). It is alleged that DR. Mthethwa even told this to one, Vongai Mutokoti. It is further alleged that DR. Mthethwa even offered to look for another job for DR. Peta.

Comrades and friends, this is something that does not have to be looked at in isolation. There is a systematic progression of ablism that has been going on in which some persons with disabilities have allowed themselves to be willing tools in the hands of the ablists. For some of you who are observant, you noticed how even against the existence of any aorta of evidence, there has been a brazen attempt to smuggle names of all top visually impaired workers in the ministry of Labour and social welfare as having worked to influence the outcome of the senatorial elections for senators with disabilities in the much touted court case challenging the election of the two senators. You have also noticed how the director disability Affairs has been prefixing almost all her communications with either the board and organisations with the statement that there is a pending court case. It is now impossible to argue against the assertion that the Director disability Affairs and the applicants are acting in common purporse.

The disability rights movement stands endangered because on one hand, we have ablists who see persons with disabilities as at worst charity seekers or at best clients while on the other hand, there are some persons with disabilities who for the love of power have chosen to be willing tools in the hands of such merciless ablists. We have to fight both. There is a terrible narrative which has been peddled about civil servants with visual impairment engaging in nefarious plots to either rig elections, disturb systems or populate the disability affairs with visually impaired people. This false narrative is calculated not only to cause disaffection against visually impaired people among other persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe but to weaken the entire movement by silencing our technocrats and replacing them with ablists or the "yes Lord" kind of people. Comrades! This we cannot and should never accept. How long shall we be silenced by being told of a certain civil servant who went to school to learn about us? We are not plants nor are we stones that should be studied to satisfy the ego of one technocrat. How long shall it be said to us that a certain civil servant was the first to occupy the office of the Director Disability Affairs? Is it lost to them that the existence of that office is something that was fought for vigorously by persons with disabilities and brought into fruition through the tireless efforts of the late Hon Joshua Malinga, himself a person with a disability?

Comrades and friends, let us unite together and defend the little gains we have got because if we choose disunity, the ablists will make us perish like fools. Yesterday, it was DR. Edmos Mthethwa and tomorrow we don't know who it shall be. Comrades and friends, the rubricon has been crossed.

Vana mbuyao! Honai zvaipa!
Nyoka musango.
Vanababao torai Mapfumo!
Nyoka musango!
Vana maio! Torai makano
Nyoka musango.

I am not inciting anyone comrades but I am just giving you insight. Use whatever is in your disposal to peacefully resist ablism.

Yours comradely