By Bigboy Madzivanzira
On September 20, 2025, the Joint Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and Thematic Committee on Human Rights visited Isheanesu, a significant event that brought together legislators, persons with disabilities, and stakeholders to discuss challenges and progress.
The visit began with welcoming remarks from Mr. Chidzvondo, the Board Chairperson of Isheanesu, who introduced the Board, parents of children with disabilities, and workers present. The Chairperson of the Parliamentary portfolio committee ,Hon Dexter Malinganiso,also made introductions and outlined the purpose of the visit.
Hon D.Malinganiso emphasized that Isheanesu was privileged to be part of Parliament and have a platform to express their challenges and expectations. He assured that Parliament would take the discussions forward and table them for further discussion.
During the visit, several challenges faced by Isheanesu were highlighted. The centre lacks a resident Medical Rehabilitation Practitioner, physiotherapist, Medical Rehabilitation Technician, or occupational therapist, relying on outreach services from the Children Rehabilitation Unit, which are insufficient. Transport challenges also hinder some children with disabilities from accessing services.
To address these challenges, Isheanesu proposed that the government consider legislation that compels all transporters to have disability customised Buses and Kombis to accommodate wheelchair bound persons with disabilities, they envision a Zimbabwe where each Bus or Kombi could accommodate at least 2 (two) wheelchairs,such a development would ensure a more inclusive Public Transport system. The General Manager for Isheanesu Centre, Mr Jordan Kambarami, highlighted additional challenges faced by children with disabilities and their families in the area, including inaccessible accommodation, evictions and difficulties in accessing services due to transport costs.
Mr Kambarami also emphasized the need for Rehabilitation personnel to be stationed at polyclinics, making services more accessible to persons with disabilities. He mentioned that Isheanesu has started the application process to provide formal education and therapy services to children who can benefit from them.
In addition the General Manager also raised a critical point that children with disabilities often come from poor backgrounds, which can demotivate special needs teachers as most teachers nowadays require parents to pay for extra lessons which the parents cant afford. This has lead to lack of motivation from the Special Education Teachers who now prefer classes of children without disabilities. Kambarami suggested that the government should consider incentivising Special Teachers as a way of motivating them given the paramount importance of their work.
Despite these challenges, Isheanesu Multipurpose Disability Centre highlighted the success of its Skills Development program. The Skills Development head,Mr Manyere who is also a person with a disability, proudly stated, “Disability is not inability.” He expressed his desire to one day buy a drink for one of the honorable members rather than being given to. He emphasized the need for resources to acquire machinery to increase detergent production, stressing the importance of avoiding shortcuts in their work.
Honorable Irene Zindi praised the centre for its good work, agreeing that shortcuts compromise quality. She gave the centre a two-week period to forward any additional recommendations that might have been omitted for consideration in the parliamentary debate.
The visit demonstrated the government’s commitment to supporting its people, particularly the most vulnerable, and provided a valuable opportunity for persons with disabilities and their representatives to engage with legislators. By working together, Isheanesu and the government can develop initiatives that promote inclusion, accessibility, and support for persons with disabilities, ultimately improving their quality of life.
About the Author
Bigboy Madzivanzira is a Medical Rehabilitation Practitioner registered with the Medical Rehabilitation Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe, a Health Promotion Practitioner registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of Zimbabwe, and a Freelance Journalist accredited by the Zimbabwe Media Commission. He also serves as the Board Secretary of Isheanesu. He can be contacted on 0773367913 or email: healthpromotionclinic@gmail.com.