Becomes person with disability to hold position
Yvonne Mutambwa
The official opening of the 29th Junior Parliament of Zimbabwe, which was previously postponed due to Covid-19, was held in Harare today where new child president Hazel Mandaza was sworn in.
Mandaza, a 17-year-old living with disability from Mahusekwa High School takes over from Mukudzi Madzivire who served his term in 2020.
Speaking after the ceremony, president Mandaza said her role will inspire other children with disability to believe in themselves.
“As a person with a disability you have dared to unchained me, you have dared to be brave. It is time to have a vibrant robust law on disability,” president Mandaza said.
The Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation Kirsty Coventry said Government is always ready to listen to all young people and the Ministry will make sure that they act on suggestions by the child president.
“Children are being capacitated to demand their rights therefore everyone in authority should take them seriously,” said Minister Coventry.
Mandaza`s appointment comes in the same year that Zimbabwe adopted the National Disability Policy whose key tenets include ensuring that people with disabilities have equal chances at leadership positions.
President Mnangagwa said his Government has a clear goal of not leaving anyone behind as the country moves towards achieving its development targets.
“As government we value this event as it gives us an opportunity to evaluate our works through the lenses of the beneficiaries themselves. The social economic and cultural space of our children is improved because of such platforms,” said President Mnangagwa.
The event coincided with the launch of the revised National Youth Policy, which is meant to ensure seamless participation of young people in matters of national importance.
“The [Revised National Youth Policy] policy is yet another declaration of my Government’s commitment to provide direction and practical support to the development and empowerment of our young men and women. It further seeks to define their place, role and responsibility in all spheres of society, both as individuals and as active participants in the development trajectory of our country, towards our vision of a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle Income Society by 2030,” said President Mnangagwa.
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