FEDOMA asked to shed light on funds for disabled candidates
One of the aspiring councillors for Ndirande – Makata ward in Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre, has made a strong appeal to Federation of Disability Organisation in Malawi (FEDOMA) to come out in the open and explain about the funds it has put aside to assist all contesting physically challenged candidates in the forthcoming tripartite elections.
United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate for the area, Tony Chilambo, told Nyasa Times amid reports that FEDOMA has put aside a special fund to support all physically challenged candidates vying for various positions in the May 20 elections.
Chilambo said as a physically challenged person and contesting candidate has no knowledge of the initiative by the organisation which among other was established to safeguard the rights and fundamental freedoms of people with disabilities.
“No it’s news to me to hear that FEDOMA has such fund to support aspiring candidates with physical challenges like myself,” Chilambo said.
He acknowledged that that there are many physically challenged people who are standing as councillors and members of parliament but they are lacking the material and financial support.
Chilambohowever asked FEDOMA to scrutinize all physically challenged people aspiring to contest in tripartite election before supporting them financially.
“For the initiative to reach to the targeted group FEDOMA should to reach out to people and come up with names who which are truly contesting,” said Chilambo
He said he decided to contest as a ward councillor after noting challenges people facing in the area.
Chilambo among others mentioned to lack of adequate and safe water, poor road infrastructures, and poor health facilities.
“You may wish to know that politicians have been calling Ndirande as a centre of politics but there is no any tangible structure which we can show to prove that we are giants of politics,” said the UDF councillor.
“People of Ndirande spend sleepless nights in search of water, people of Ndirande carry patients on their shoulders to hospital because there is no good roads which connect to the main road, many pupils are learning under the tree as there are inadequate classrooms,” he lamented.
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