“Adopt differently-abled persons as candidates during Thursday 12th August 2021 elections, pleads Born Short Living Tall (BSLT) Executive Director Ntalasha Chisha

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SUNDAY 31ST MAY 2020

By Ntalasha Chisha
Executive Director,
Born Short Living Tall (BSLT) Lusaka

AS an organization we want to urge all political parties to consider allocating at least 25% of parliamentary and local government positions for the 2021 General Elections adoptions to the differently abled persons because we believe that disability is not inability.

TAKING such an action will break the discriminatory and segregatory barriers that currently exists in our politics where there is less participation from the differently abled persons due to lack of inclusiveness.

THE right to participate in public life is essential to create stable democracies, active citizenship and it also reduces inequalities in society.

WE believe that this is the only way the differently abled will be assured of full participation in national and governance affairs.

WE are concerned that the current composition of our political leaders is not balanced in regards to representation and as a result, we have bias policies that do not represent the views of the masses.

 

IT is important to also note that about 75% plus of this country’s population is composed of youths and among them are those living with disabilities yet very few youths are are given an opportunity to occupy influential leadership positions.

THE youth and the differently abled want to become agents of change embracing their civic responsibilities.

In due course we will be seeking audiences with various secretary generals of political parties to ensure that our proposal for the inclusion of differently- abled participation especially young people in the political landscape is considered.

FURTHERMORE, we are urging our fellow youths to step up the game and make themselves available to led. LET us be the change that we want to see and let us begin preparing to take up these influential leadership positions now.

As young people we need to be in the fore front of leading this nation because it’s future is in our hands. THE upcoming 2021 general elections is our opportunity to prove how much ready we are to stamp our mark on this nation.

The time for this country to practice a new kind of politics has come and no more will youths be used as tools of political violence.

AS an organization that seeks to empower the underprivileged we will do everything in power to ensure that there is a change in our politics so that we begin to see the full participation of differently abled individuals who will express interest in contesting for any political position in 2021.