PWDs in Teso cry foul over inacceeible buildings

WIN | SIRI | PWDs

TESO - Since October 19, New Vision has been publishing stories highlighting the plight of Persons With Disability (PWDs) and compliance of public facilities with laws governing this disadvantaged group in Uganda. 

In the eighth of a daily series that will run through to October 30, 2022, Godfrey Ojore explores the challenges that people living with disability face while trying to access buildings in Teso region. 

 Angella Aibo, a resident of Abeko parish in Amuria district, decries the discrimination by some health workers, who “undermine her” because of her physical condition. 

Aibo says whenever she seeks treatment at a health facility, she is attended to last. 

“The nurses will look at you like an animal. It is not my fault I was born physically impaired,” she says. 

Aibo, who is pursuing a certificate course in records management, says she was ridiculed by someone she believed had been pursuing her for a relationship, because of her disability. 

Her course is sponsored by a Catholic church at St Francis Rehabilitation Centre. 

Whereas the Persons With Disability Act of 2020 clearly states that there should be provision of appropriate access for people with disability (PWDs) to buildings, the law seems to be only on paper in Teso sub-region. 

Frank Tumuhimbise, the deputy city speaker of Soroti, confirms the existence of the law on paper, but adds that it is not being practised.

Tumwimbize (in wheelchair) with his boss, Agonyo.

Firstly, Tumuhimbise is unable to access the council hall where he presides over the council sessions, because it is located on the second floor. 

Without a ramp or lift to facilitate PWDs like Tumuhimbise to access the hall, they are left at the mercy of Good Samaritans who carry them up. Moreover, the core offices that are consulted on a daily basis, such as that of the city mayor, city clerk and human resource, are all upstairs. 

The situation is particularly painful for Tumuhimbise, who is required to visit those offices from time to time. 

“I feel like I am a burden to my colleagues who have to carry me up each time I have an engagement with my bosses. Besides that, each time I have to chair council, I have to be lifted by friends, which would have not been the case if ramps were provided for us,” he explains. 

Tumuhimbise, who is the councillor for PWDs, says the Government should enforce the law so that owners of buildings without provision for PWDs are arrested and their buildings demolished. 

“Lifting me up every time I have to attend council is an invasion of my privacy,” he says, adding that even the bathrooms have no provision for those who use wheelchairs. 

Martin Okwera, 20, a journalism student at the United Media Consultants and Trainers (UMCAT) School of Journalism, Soroti campus, also decries his struggle to access public places and institutions. 

Though their lecture rooms are on the ground floor, Okwera is faced with the challenge of accessing the institution leaders. As a result, people either have to carry him or any official who wants to see him has to seek him downstairs. 

“I would have dropped out if the lecture rooms had been upstairs,” Okwera says. He notes that the constraints have hindered him from reaching out to the administration like the students without disability do. “I have been to the office of the academic registrar about six times to check for my results and tuition payment. I crawl upstairs to avoid bothering my colleagues. It’s tough, but that is the condition I have found myself in,” Okwera explains. 

Okello (left) with a fellow student at UMCAT, Soroti campus. He says he suffers from back pain since he has no special chair and table at campus to work on.

Though determined to face the challenges head-on, Okwera, who is currently doing his internship at Vision Group’s Etop Radio in Soroti, says he pursued journalism so as to advocate for the plight of PWDs. 

When he was assigned to cover a story at a church, he failed to get it because the building had no access for wheelchairs. 

“I could not enter to take a photo. Once I complete my course, I will start a crusade to ensure government wakes up to help us,” Okwera states. Since many facilities are unfriendly to him and his colleagues, he has learnt to ease himself at home before leaving for school and work. 

“The place that I rent is also not suitable for me, but I do not have much of an option. I share a toilet with able-bodied people and each time I go there, I find the place dirty yet I have to crawl in to ease myself,” he says. Okwera also notes that most roads have no provision for PWDs, which exposes them to accidents. 

“The available pavements are too narrow. I pray that the city and district authorities consider us by ensuring that we can also ride without the fear of being knocked down by speeding motorists,” he says. 

Lekebwam Okello Ocapa, of Serere district, was born 29 years ago with short arms. Although he can walk, he cannot ride or bathe himself. He is the sub-county councillor for PWDs in Ochapa town council as well as a student of UMCAT, pursuing a course in social work.

“The institute can’t offer me a special chair and table to facilitate my writing with ease. As a result, I get severe back pain,” Okello says. However, unlike most institutions in the area, Soroti University has ramps and lifts to facilitate easy movement of PWDs. 

“There is no reason why any PWD should not visit us and even study here because all lecture rooms and offices of the university leadership are accessible,” Juma Hassan Nyene, the university spokesman, says.

Leaders speak 

The Soroti district authorities have pledged to change the narrative by ensuring that the new buildings cater for the needs of PWDs. 

“We are yet to build the new administrative block, but we want to ensure that it caters for PWDs. For now, we have to live with the oversight of the past leadership that built a block that cannot be accessed by PWDs,” Juliet Agonyo, the city speaker, says. 

Buildings with more than one fl oor should have facilities such as lifts which can ease movement for PWDs.

Agonyo also feels bad about her deputy’s challenges in accessing the city hall and in using public bathrooms.

“The system of carrying my deputy up the stairs to chair meetings is wrong. It makes him look like a sick man being carried to a doctor for treatment,” she states. 

However, not all is lost for the PWDs in Teso. Sarah Aguti, the programmes officer of National Union of Women with Disability, says through vigorous sensitisation with stakeholders, there is hope for a better future for PWDs. 

“The situation is not as bad as it was in the past because some places have catered for people with disability. The main challenge that I believe will come to an end one day is the negative attitude by members of the public,” Aguti says. 

She hailed New Vision for highlighting the plight of PWDs in the newspaper. 

“Let us continue the crusade of improving the lives of our brothers and sisters who live with disability. They should also be employed and treated like everybody else,” Aguti adds.

UMCAT Comments

The United Media Consultants and Trainers (UMCAT) school of journalism, academic registrar, Tom Okello, says they are concerned about the plight of PWDs. 

“I have discussed with my superiors about the plight of our students living with a disability because the number keeps increasing,” Okello says. 

“We are also renting this place. It is our building as is the case with government institutions. We feel for our students. Okwera, for example, is either lifted or he has to crawl up, which is not proper,” he adds. 

This article was produced with support from WAN-IFRA Women in News, Social Impact Reporting Initiative grant. However, the views are not those of WAN-IFRA Women In News.

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