“People with disabilities are special and must be treated with respect and care” – Tanzania government

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People with disabilities are vulnerable to abuse. Reports have shown that over 65% of people with disabilities face different sort of abuses in the world. The report further shows that people with disability are more likely to face twice abuse of the abled people.

After realising the importance of people living with disabilities in Tanzania, the government took the bull by the horn by pledging an apology to people with disabilities over a recent assault by members of the Police Force in Dar es Salaam. The government further explained that the police stepped too far from their boundaries to violate the disabled rights.

It has been reported that the police in Dar es Salaam used excessive force, including teargas to disperse some disabled people, who thronged the office of the city municipal director, demanding that they be allowed to ride their tricycles within the central business district. They insisted that they needed it for their daily activities. In the process, they blocked the road, forcing the Police Force to use excessive force to disperse them.

In reaction to the incident, Home Affairs minister Mwigulu Nchemba said the excessive force used was not right:

“Let me use this opportunity to officially apologise for the ordeal on behalf of the Police Force and the state government. Disabled are special people and must be treated with respect and care,” he said. Mr Nchemba was responding to Ms Stella Ikupa (Special Seats-CCM), who wanted to know the steps being taken by the government to ensure that such incidents would not reoccur.

In addition, Mr Nchemba stated that the Ministry of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government Authorities) are meeting at the Office of the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner to find the best solution that will prevent such incidences to repeat. He further apologised and promised that such incident will not occur again.

Government officials in Tanzania have reassured the disabled that such unlawful act will cease to happen. They further stated that the people to be respected more in the country are the disabled. Finally, the police was causioned to be more careful in dealing with the disabled stating that they are special and deserve more careful attention.

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