Revolutionary greetings, my dear friends.
Due to my international assignments, I have been unable to communicate as frequently as I would have liked. However, I cannot remain silent while injustice masquerades as governance.
Yesterday, the United States and Russia sat down to discuss the war in Ukraine. Three key steps were proposed toward lasting peace: a ceasefire, elections, and a negotiated agreement between Russia and Ukraine, possibly guaranteed by the USA.
Yet, one glaring issue stood out—Ukraine was not at the table. As the old saying goes, when you are not at the table, you are on the menu. When questioned about this exclusion, the U.S. Secretary of State confidently declared that only the American President could bring peace. That level of arrogance is both disturbing and familiar. I am not oblivious to the other nuances of the Ukraine-Russian war.
Some may wonder, what does this have to do with disability rights? Paternalism.
In Zimbabwe, we, persons with disabilities (PWDs) are all too familiar with decisions being made about us in our absence. Our plight, our struggles, and our futures are discussed in high-ranking meetings filled with non-disabled people who claim to know what is best for us. This is ableism in its purest form—the belief that the non-disabled people are better suited to determine the needs of PWDs than the people who experience disability every single day.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the ongoing attempts to dilute the Persons with Disabilities Bill. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee report captured the voices of Zimbabweans, most of whom are PWDs, articulating their expectations for the bill. Experts, activists, and interest groups provided input to ensure a strong, transformative piece of legislation.
Yet, what is emerging is a watered-down version, a toothless document far below the standards set by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). This is not by accident. This is the work of ableists, determined to maintain control, to project a false image of a divided disability movement, and to silence those who dare to demand justice.
This cannot stand. This must not stand.
We must reject this systemic exclusion with unwavering resolve. We must expose the machinations of those who seek to dominate PWDs and weaken our advocacy. The days of being silent spectators in our own affairs are over.
Let us remain vigilant. Let us continue to demand our rightful place at the table. Let us increase the cost of ableism until exclusion becomes too expensive for the system to sustain.
The principle remains non-negotiable: Nothing About Us Without Us.
As citizens, we must demand nothing less than full equality. As persons with disabilities, we must demand more than just being heard—we must be factored into every decision that concerns us.
The war against ableism must be fought with all the urgency and intensity it deserves. And we must win.
Comradely yours,
Mukoma A