By Zachary Gava in Masvingo
Masvingo – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reaffirmed the commitment of the Second Republic to building an inclusive society, announcing a wide-ranging empowerment package for persons with disabilities, while calling on all sectors to transform disability inclusion from policy into practice.
Vice President Kembo Mohadi delivered the speech on behalf President Emmerson Mnangagwa during the official opening of the 2026 Zimbabwe National Disability Expo at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo on Friday.
Running under the theme, “Embracing Disability Inclusion in All Sectors: A Masterstroke for National Prosperity and Economic Development,” the three-day expo brought together Government officials, development partners, private sector players, organisations of persons with disabilities and delegates from across Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries to showcase innovations and promote inclusive development.
President Mnangagwa announced a Presidential Empowerment Package comprising 50 goats under the Presidential Goat Scheme, 60 pigs under the Presidential Piggery Project, residential stands, agricultural land, as well as farming and mining equipment to be distributed equitably among persons with disabilities in all 10 provinces.
“These resources will be distributed equitably among persons with disabilities across all ten provinces of our country to promote self-reliance, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
He said the government views persons with disabilities as equal citizens whose inclusion is essential for national development rather than beneficiaries of charity.
“Disability inclusion is not merely a social obligation; it is a constitutional imperative, a developmental necessity and a human rights obligation,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe had strengthened its legal framework through the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act in 2025, aligning the country’s laws with regional and international commitments while reinforcing constitutional guarantees for persons with disabilities.
He noted that disability inclusion remains a cross-cutting priority under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), adding that sustainable development can only be achieved when every citizen participates fully in the country’s economic and social transformation.
President Mnangagwa stressed the need to move beyond welfare approaches by investing in inclusive education, accessible healthcare, adaptive infrastructure, digital technologies, accessible transport systems and inclusive labour markets.
“The mantra, ‘Disability is Not Inability,’ must transcend rhetoric and become a lived reality in every sector of our society,” he said.
He also called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, urging stronger collaboration among Government, local authorities, academia, the private sector, development partners, civil society and organisations representing persons with disabilities.
“Nothing about persons with disabilities should be decided without their meaningful participation,” he said, emphasising that their voices should shape policy design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
The 2026 Zimbabwe National Disability Expo, which ran from June 24 to 26, showcased disability-inclusive technologies, entrepreneurship initiatives and accessible services, reinforcing the mantra that no one and no community will be left behind on the path towards the vision to become an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
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