No more rhetoric on persons with disabilities
By Tony Nkhoma
WE WILL not allow bureaucracy, political indifference or limited resources to be used as excuses for inaction on the implementation of projects for persons with disabilities, a parliamentary body has said.
Joseph Munsanje, chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Disability Inclusion and Rights said persons with disabilities in Zambia were demanding more than just awareness but systemic change that would make a positive impact on their lives.
Munsanje was speaking in Lusaka during the 2025 Parliamentary Caucus on Disability Inclusion meeting.
“We must also reflect on how to expand and operationalise the Disability Inclusion Scorecard in Parliament, ensuring that we have metrics to assess how disability rights are integrated into legislative and oversight functions,” he said.
Munsanje said as their elected representatives, advocates and partners, it was the duty of members of Parliament to listen to the voices of persons with disabilities, particularly those whose needs and rights had for too long remained at the periphery of policy debates.
“When we launched this caucus in October 2023, it was not a symbolic gesture. It was a declaration of intent. An intent to mobilise political will, institutional power and societal awareness toward a Zambia that is truly inclusive. Our formation was backed by the resolute support of stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to build a bridge between the legislature and the disability community,” Munsanje said.
He said it should be clear that inclusion should be embedded not only in the parliamentary rhetoric but in the laws, budgets, development programmes and monitoring frameworks.
Munsanje said the Parliamentary Caucus on Disability Inclusion was envisioned as a platform for transformative leadership that dismantled systemic barriers and pushed the disability rights agenda beyond tokenism.
He called for strengthening of governance systems to be more responsive, equitable and participatory especially for persons with disabilities.
“We acknowledge that while we have made important strides such as ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and supporting the development of the Persons with Disabilities Bill implementation, gaps remain,” Munsanje said.
Munsanje said the gaps were not abstract because they manifested in inaccessible public infrastructure, education systems that exclude children with disabilities, in underfunded health services and in the marginalisation of persons with disabilities from political participation.
“Colleagues and friends, this is where our advocacy must be bolder. It is no longer enough to speak of rights in the abstract. It is essential that each committee of Parliament begins to assess how their work affects persons with disabilities, and how to make those spaces and decisions more accessible,” Munsanje said.
He said the Parliamentary caucus would work closely with civil society organisations and government actors to conduct annual reviews of disability-related laws and policies.
