SHURUGWI town council has been ranked top in adopting a disability inclusion policy in the Midlands Province.

This was revealed at a meeting hosted by Quadriplegics and Paraplegics Association of Zimbabwe (QPAZ) in partnership with Leonard Chishire Disability in Kwekwe yesterday.

The organisations are working with local authorities in Kwekwe, Shurugwi, Zvishavane and Silobela to set up ward development committees to allow them to include people with disabilities in all decision making bodies.

Speaking during the meeting which was meant to give an update of the local authorities’ response to the call, QPAZ director Audrey Rusike said among all the local authorities, Shurugwi, has shown a positive response in disability inclusion policy implementation.

“So far there is a positive response in the province with Shurugwi council topping them as the local authority has already reached a consensus to say 15 percent of stands allocated by council are to be issued to people with disabilities,” she said.
Rusike said the local authority has also given people with disabilities a green light not to pay rates.

“This gesture shows how Shurugwi council is adopting the disability inclusion policy which the government is advocating for,” she said.
Rusike said she hopes all councils in the province will adopt this gesture to allow inclusive policies that are disability friendly.

Speaking during the same occasion, QPAZ communications officer Nozipho Rutsate reiterated that there is need for every structure in the society to include people with disabilities in line with the National Disability Policy.
“We are working with local authorities, victim friendly units, schools and other stakeholders so that every societal structure includes people with disabilities,” she said.