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George Maponga in Masvingo

President Mnangagwa today brought cheers to people with disabilities from across Masvingo who received wheelchairs he donated as the Second Republic walks the talk on leaving no place and no one behind.

Ten people with disabilities received wheelchairs at the Masvingo Civic Centre with President Mnangagwa fulfilling a promise he made at the national disability expo held in Gweru in the year 2021.

There were evident cheers on the faces of recipients of the wheelchairs that were handed over by the Director in the Office of the Special Advisor on National Disability issues in the Office of the President and Cabinet Mr Macnon Chirinzepi on behalf of President Mnangagwa.

Masvingo was the sixth leg of the ongoing hand over of wheelchairs donated by President Mnangagwa to people with disabilities in the country’s rural provinces.

Mr Paul Nhikita of Mushandike pushing his wife Mrs Maria Bhinya in a wheelchair donated by President Mnangagwa.

Mrs Shanangurai Mashuro whose daughter Kupakwashe Friday (7) of Tshovani Township in Chiredzi received a wheelchair was over the moon because of President Mnangagwa’s gesture.

“I don’t know how to thank the President (Mnangagwa) for the wheelchair he has donated to my child. I am grateful that she will now be able to go to school like other children of her age. She will now enrol for Grade 1,” said Mrs Mashuro.

For Mr Charles Mugwamba (28) of Nyamandi in Gutu who met President Mnangagwa in 2021 and was promised a wheelchair, today’s donation proved the Head of State and Government was a man of his word.

Mr Charles Mugwamba of Nyamandi in Gutu

“I am overwhelmed because this is a dream come true for me after I met the President at the 2021 national disability expo in Gweru and he promised me a wheelchair. Now, I have received it,” said Mr Mugwamba.

Mr Paul Nhikiti whose wife Maria Bhinya used to crawl on all fours or would have to be carried for the larger part of her adult life, was a relieved man after she got a wheelchair.

“I feel relieved and I am happy, because of what President Mnangagwa has done for my wife by giving her a wheelchair. I used to carry her on my back to travel long distances or she would crawl for short distances but this nightmare is now over,” said Mr Nhikiti.
Former Zimpapers employee Mr Josphat Nyika whose niece Charity Gapare (7) of Muzogwi Village in Chivi also got a wheelchair heaped praise on the President saying he had shown how responsive he is to the needs of the common person.

Mr Chirinzepi said the donation of wheelchairs to people with disabilities dovetailed with President Mnangagwa’s administration vision of leaving no place and no one behind as the nation gravitates towards Vision 2030.

He said his office had an opportunity to create a platform for people with disabilities to air their challenges with one of the major issues being lack of requisite infrastructure to enable them to access some places.

“There is a need to develop infrastructure which is also user friendly to all groups of people including people with disabilities,” said Mr Chirinzepi.