Deaf Back President Banda in Zambia

THE Zambia National Association of the Deaf (ZNAD) has said they would support President Rupiah Banda and the MMD in the September 20 elections because the ruling party was the only party so far that had embraced persons with disability reports The Times of Zambia (31/08/11).

ZNAD executive director James Kapembwa said in a statement yesterday that they had decided to rally behind President Banda because he had demonstrated commitment towards persons with disabilities.

Mr Kapembwa was speaking when Lusaka province MMD chairperson William Banda paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Kanyama constituency. He said President Banda had demonstrated commitment to improving the welfare of the disabled. 


Mr Kapembwa said in May 2010, President Banda again demonstrated his commitment towards the disabled by visiting the School of the deaf and a community church in Matero Township where he pledged K30 million towards the construction of the same.
He said further the government of President Banda also accepted the request to be patron of ZNAD besides ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2010. "As we are in 2011 election year, we are part and parcel of the campaign of endorsing Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda for another term in office," he said.

Mr Banda observed that Kanyama Constituency had lagged behind in terms of development over the years because residents had been making a mistake of voting for opposition Members of Parliament and councilors. He advised the MMD aspiring candidates in Kanyama not to abandon persons with disabilities once voted into office. 


Mr Kapembwa said ZNAD has 2, 000 registered members and that returns from the 26 membership branches indicate that there are an average of 120 members per district. "Secondly, we want the MMD Government to include us in all national developmental issues like the electoral process and fulltime employment of sign language interpreters on the national television network for equal access to information," Mr Kapembwa said. Mr Banda assured the association members that he was going to organize a meeting with President Banda as he was a leader for all Zambians.