PWDs call for inclusivity in public service

The Executive Director of We Too Can, Ms Aisha Matovu (C) pose for a photo with persons with disabilities (PWDs) at her office on March 20, 2024. Photos | Shabibah Nakirigya

What you need to know:

  • The Executive Director of We Too Can, Ms Aisha Matovu told journalists Wednesday that as PWDs, they want inclusive employment status since they also can favourably compete with any other Ugandans.

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) under their umbrella We Too Can (Naffe Tusobola) have urged the government to prioritise inclusive employment opportunities in all sectors.

The Executive Director of We Too Can, Ms Aisha Matovu told journalists Wednesday that as PWDs, they want inclusive employment status since they also can favourably compete with any other Ugandans.

“Being disabled does not mean that even the brains are disabled, we want to see that we can access the basic needs like other Ugandans, we have PWDs who are professionals but they are left out,” she said.

Ms Matovu added that currently PWDs are left out of development and accessing government services because the communities think they are dependents who need full-time support.

“We urge the government and religious leaders to come on board and prioritise the issues of PWDs in terms of development. PWDs have missed out on all the government programmes because they are ignorant about them,” she said.

Dr Ibrahim Ssali, Moroccan Consulate in Uganda also President of the Mohammed VI Foundation in Uganda, said: “Despite having challenges of operating in an economy which is grappling with Covid-19 pandemic effects, we are ready to support the needy from different categories through their respective groups.”

He added that they have been following the We Too Can foundation and as a religious institution, they agreed to support them by providing food to the disabled Muslims from Kampala metropolitan during Ramadhan.

Dr Ibrahim Ssali, Moroccan Consulate in Uganda also President of the Mohammed VI Foundation in Uganda donates food items to a PWD

“The Muhammed VI Foundation has learnt a lot from the PWDs and this initiative has helped the needy during Ramadhan since 2019 when Uganda became a member of the Foundation,” he said.

Ambassador Ssali applauded the We Too Can foundation for the work done saying that it’s not easy to understand what others are doing to help the vulnerable people because they are experiencing several challenges.