MUB engages chiefs on rights of visual impaired persons

By Daniel Sankhulani – Mana.

Malawi Union of the Blind (MUB) Monday engaged local chiefs around Mfera area in Chikwawa District on the rights of visually impaired persons.

MUB, Executive Director, Ezekiel Kumwenda  said they thought of empowering the chiefs to be aware of the rights of the visual impaired persons as one way of dealing with a number of challenges such people face in the country.

“We came to share knowledge with the local chiefs here so that they should go flat out sensitizing communities on the rights of their colleagues because most people of this nature are being discriminated on top of facing other numerous challenges,” he said.

Kumwenda said most of them to date are sexually harassed saying so far the country has recorded 26 cases of that nature.

 Councillor for Mwamphazi Ward in Chikwawa West Constituency, Wyson Bush commended the initiative saying it was an eye opener.

He said that, “This development is helpful to our communities since we are associated with different kinds of people and others are those with visual impairment.”

Chikwawa District Assistant Rehabilitation Officer, Elizabeth Khumbanyiwa hailed MUB for the support saying the interface was timely as the district had also been recording a number of issues to do with people with visual impairment.

“This meeting will help our local chiefs to go and share the knowledge with community members and this will eliminate the bad practices people with visual impairment are facing in our communities.

“We are looking forward to working with Chikwawa Police so that they should take into account some of the reported cases,” she said.

According to MUB, it intends to ensure that there is no discrimination among people associated with visual impairment on top of making sure that their rights are protected.

The meeting was attended by chiefs from Traditional Authorities (TAs) Maseya, Katunga and Mlilima.

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