By Albert George Sheriff
The Director of Disability Rights Movement (DRIM) has called for a “fair distribution” of political power and wealth with persons with disability in the country whom he said were being marginalised.
Vandy Konneh, himself a disabled, said they would appreciate a minimum of five cabinet positions especially in the Ministries of Social Welfare, Labor, Internal Affairs, Information and Communication, and Presidential and Political Affairs.
Speaking at a press conference in Freetown, Konneh said that people should know about “the degrading and frustrating position” of persons with disability especially in relation to their non-inclusion in governance or appointment into other positions of trust. He said persons with disability should get a fair proportion of the distribution of state resources and political power.
”The past government did not have disabled people as cabinet ministers, ambassadors, commissioners, or directors”, Konneh lamented, adding that there was only one disabled Member of Parliament in the House who did not get a symbol to run again in November. He expressed skepticism that the next government could further “marginalise” the disabled and urged the winner of the presidential election to appoint persons with disability in governance or strategic positions.
According to Konneh, history has proven that disabled people are the best in terms of governance. He made reference to former US President Roosevelt who was a disable but said did extremely well in ending World War II and was instrumental in establishing the United Nations. He said strategic positions should be given to people “who have gone through horrible days in life”, adding that such people could actually see situations and amend them as they are without prejudice. He said that disabled women suffered the most “because of their marginalized status” in society and called on women’s right movements to consider women with disability for appointment.
“When someone is disabled it does not mean their brain can be manipulated” he said, adding that they would continue to “ring the bell” tirelessly until disability issues were favourably addressed.
