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Sally Nyakanyanga
During previous elections in the country, physically challenged people were largely assisted by their relatives, friends or polling agents, hence this did not allow for secret voting particularly for the visually impaired. For the physically challenged, the voting booths were inaccessible while the hearing and speech impaired had communication challenges

Last year, as I was doing advocacy work on physically challenged women in Zimbabwe, I met Ms Melody Moyo, a physically challenged woman in her late twenties who had never had a birth certificate. She had two children who had no identity documents as well as a result of the plight of their mother.

Persons with disabilities face many physical, social and attitudinal barriers. In this case, Ms Moyo was orphaned at a tender age and left in the custody of her uncle, who did not see the need for her to have an identity card. When I asked the uncle, he said, “What does she need the birth certificate for?”

For Ms Moyo under these circumstances, voting becomes an impossible mission; no parents, no birth certificate, now having to incur costs to have a national identity card yet unemployed as well as travelling long distances to the nearest registrar’s office using her wheelchair.

Such is the sad reality of many physically challenged people in the country.

It is this identity card crisis that has restricted Ms Moyo from exercising a fundamental right, which is to vote and be voted for that is if she decides to stand for political office.

During previous elections in the country, physically challenged people were largely assisted by their relatives, friends or polling agents, hence this did not allow for secret voting particularly for the visually impaired. For the physically challenged, the voting booths were inaccessible while the hearing and speech impaired had communication challenges.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that 15 percent of the world population has a form of disability. However, the 2013 National Disability Survey- Living conditions of people living with disabilities, states that only seven percent of the population in the country is disabled.

The Disability, HIV/Aids Trust (DHAT) has been working with physically challenged people during the voter registration process to ensure they register to vote. Mr Tafadzwa Maseva, DHAT programmes officer revealed that many people living with disabilities do not have the required documents as their parents or caregivers are reluctant to assist them to acquire these identity documents.

“Many have been unable to register to vote due to mobility challenges as [they] can’t walk the distances to the polling station,” said Mr Maseva.

Zimbabwe introduced Biometric Voter Registration (BVR), which commenced in September last year for the coming elections which are expected before August. DHAT, with funding support from IFES carried out outreach programmes for physically challenged people and their guardians or caregivers on voter registration.

“We’ve come up with edutainment programmes that is educating physically challenged people through drama and poems with physically challenged people participating or performing in the activities. We also worked and continue to work with Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to ensure the voting process is disability friendly,” said Mr Maseva.

Speaking about segregation of data, Election Resource Centre (ERC) director Mr Tawanda Chimhini, said there has been no data released by Zec on the number of physically challenged people that have been registered to vote.

“Such segregation of data is still to happen but the hope would be that this information is made available to allow election stakeholders to adequately prepare for relevant interventions to enhance civic participation by physically challenged people,” said Mr Chimhini.

Officials at the ERC said the BVR voter registration process considered physically challenged people although other areas remain largely ignored.

“Zec has responded well to make registration centres accessible to physically challenged people although earlier there were centres without ramps and some located above the ground floor of some buildings,” said Mr Chimhini.

DHAT district focal person, Mr Whiteman Moyo, who was working with DHAT on the ground called for the need for parents and caregivers of physically challenged people to be educated and empowered on the importance of physically challenged people to register to vote. “Zec should provide a disability friendly environment through training its biometric voter registration officers to use disability sensitive language, accessible infrastructure such as putting ramps at registration centres,” said Mr Maseva.

There has been a notable increase in the number of physically challenged people registering to vote since the voter registration exercise commenced.

However, there is more to be done to ensure physically challenged people are not disenfranchised on the day of voting.

Advocates for physically challenged people have been calling for Zec to ensure easy to access polling centres, availing materials sensitive to the needs of physically challenged people, preferential service, voter education that equips physically challenged people with the necessary understanding of electoral processes and access to voter information that enhances civic participation by physically challenged people.

Standard practice in elections with regards to issues of disability is through the adherence to the principle of inclusion in the administration of electoral processes.

“The spread and reach of interventions in place to cater for physically challenged people must be expanded. Zec personnel need professional training on issues of disability and such training should be mainstreamed in all procedural trainings that Zec undertakes,” said Mr Chimhini.

Secret ballot is the cornerstone of democracy, as such, in India the visually impaired have been using Braille Enabled Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) to ensure they cast their votes secretly. They have also ensured that polling booths are at table height, reachable to wheelchair users as well as ensuring all polling stations are accessible.

“Election authorities should consult experts to develop standards for selecting polling stations and establish guidelines for polling station designs — with some temporary or permanent ramps to ensure easy access. In some countries polling stations have been put at hospitals and homes to cater for the elderly and the disabled,” said Mr Chimhini.

Above all, physically challenged people should be part of election monitoring and this is believed to help change people’s negative perceptions towards physically challenged people and their ability to play a positive role in shaping a democratic society.

-Sally Nyakanyanga is a journalist with interest in disability issues. Apart from her work as a journalist, she is also a communications and development specialist.