PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR LEGAL STATUS IN THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

In Tanzania, there have been a long time efforts to make sure that all people, with and without disabilities are valued the same at all life affairs. Different documents are enacted to recognize people with disabilities legally. These documents seek to reduce the effects of disabilities economically, socially and politically. It is also purposive to intervene these people with disabilities within the country and prepare better future for all citizens.


 The following are some of these enacted laws and policies.

The Persons with Disability Act, 2010, enacted by Parliament in April 2010 and assented by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania on 20th May 2010, makes provision for:

Health care; Social support; Accessibility; Rehabilitation; Education and vocational training; Communication; Employment or work protection and; Promotion of basic rights for persons with disabilities.

The Zanzibar Education Policy and its Education Development Program (2007)

This policy finalized in late 2007, focuses on improving access to education for children with disabilities.

Persons with Disabilities (Rights and Privileges) Act 2006 (Act No. 9 of 2006)

It deals with workers with disabilities. It is divided into six parts, each part having its specific role to play.

Part I - Preliminary Provisions

Part II - Rights and Privileges of Persons with Disabilities [includes inter alia provisions on discrimination in employment, duty to offer employment and education]

Part III - Civic Rights

Part IV - Establishment of the Zanzibar National Council for Persons with Disabilities

Part V - The Zanzibar Development Fund for Persons with Disabilities

Part VI - Miscellaneous Provisions

National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA), 2005-2010 and the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUZA), 2006-2010.

These are the strategies which are entailed in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar respectively. These strategies, among many issues explained in them, they recognize disability as among the major causes of poverty, and that it should be taken into consideration for the purpose of fully development of Tanzanian society.

 MKUKUTA and MKUZA as they are derived from MDGs, plan that in 2025 there must be improved life quality to be co-enjoyed by both people with and without disabilities. Labour

 Relation Act of 2005 (No.1)

It prohibits discrimination based on disability in the context of Trade Union’s constitution or activities

National Policy on Disability of 2004

The policy aims at providing a conducive environment for people with disabilities to engage in productive works for their development and the utilization of available resources for improved service delivery.

Employment and Labor Relations Act of 2004 (No.6)

This act forbids direct and indirect discrimination in any employment policy, including discrimination based on disability.

National Employment Promotion Service Act of 1999 (No.9)

This act provides or makes arrangements for the registration, employment, counseling, vocational rehabilitation and placement of persons with disabilities.

Zanzibar Labor Act of 1997 (No.3)

The act lays down fundamental rights concerning the employment of people with disabilities.

Vocational Education and Training Act of 1994 (No.1)

The act provides a legal framework for implementation of a flexible vocational education and training system that respond to the labour market.

Workmen’s Compensation Act No.15 of 1986

This Act defines the Compensatable disease as “any disease which was contracted while a person concerned was performing a work or was present while a work was performed and any other disease which the Minister, on the advice of the Labor Advisory Board declares by notice in the Gazette, to be a compensatable disease”. It asserts that any worker who can get disability resulted from the workplace of a sector which is under government system will be compensated by the government.

Disabled Persons (employment) Regulations of 1985

Government Notice No. 464: Disabled Persons (Employment) Regulations 1985.

Gazette of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1985-12-20, N. 51, Supplement N., p. 700-709.

Defines the eligibility and registration requirements for disabled persons under the Disabled Persons Employment Act 1982 (No. 2 of 1982). Reserves for them two percent of the vacancies in vocational training centers (s. 8 (2)) and requires every registered employer to employ registered disabled persons so as to constitute at least two percent of the employees (s. 10(1)). Includes schedules showing the towns and districts to which the Regulation applies and the registration forms to be used.

Disabled Persons (employment) Act of 1982 (No. 2)

An Act to make provision for enabling persons handicapped by disablement to secure employment or work on their own account and for purposes connected with those matters

It establishes a quota system which stipulates that 2% of the work force in companies with over 50 employees must be persons with disabilities. Also establishes the National Advisory Council which advices the minister responsible for social welfare of the people with disabilities.

 Disabled Persons (Care and Maintenance) Act of 1982 (No.3)

It provides and designates responsibilities of caring for disabled persons to families, relatives, local governments, central government and non-governmental organizations. Also establishes a National Fund for Disabled Persons.

Conclusion

There is a need to go further in the process of putting budget aside for the respective areas outlined in these legal documents. We need to see in the near future that also people with disabilities are fully included in the government leadership being elected and appointed as ministers, commissioners and other related decent posts within the country.

"Think Inclusively ~~~ Act Inclusively ~~~ Create an Inclusive Nation"

MIAKA 14 TANGU KIFO CHA BABA WA TAIFA LA TANZANIA, HAYATI MWALIMU JULIUS KAMBARAGE NYERERE NA MATARAJIO YA KUPATA KATIBA MPYA YENYE VIGEZO JUMUISHI KWA WATU WENYE ULEMAVU

Wakati Watanzania wakifanya kumbukumbu ya miaka 14 tangu baba wa taifa , hayati J.K. Nyerere afariki dunia hapo mnamo tarehe 14/10/1999; watu wenye ulemavu na wapenda haki za binadamu wameendelea kumkumbuka. Aliwatetea sana watu wenye ulemavu, alirejesha heshima ya binadamu na alijenga taifa jumuishi kupitia Siasa ya Ujamaa na Kujitegemea iliyoainishwa kwenye Azimio la Arusha la mwaka 1967.

Mwalimu Nyerere pia anakumbukwa na wataalam wa mambo ya kielimu, ikiwemo elimu ya watu wazima, ambapo ilifika mahali kwamba kila kituo cha kazi kiligeuzwa kituo cha kisomo cha elimu ya watu wazima baada ya masaa ya kazi. Katika hotuba zake na maandiko mbalimbali kuhusu elimu alibainisha wazi kuwa elimu inatakiwa imwezeshe mtu kufikiri kimantiki na pia elimu hiyo itumike kama chombo cha ukombozi kwa mhusika (msomaji) na kumwezesha kujitegemea kwenye mazingira yake.

Nukuu za Mwalimu Nyerere:

Katika hotuba yake “Nguvu ya Walimu” aliyotoa Chuo cha Ualimu Morogoro, mwaka 1966, Mwalimu alisema yafuatayo:
“Taifa letu – taifa lolote – ni kubwa, ni zuri na mahali pazuri pa kuishi na kuendelea kama raia wake watalifanya liwe hivyo. Uongozi wake unaweza kuwa mzuri, mbaya au usiojali lakini kama watu wake wameamka na wanajitambua haitachukua muda mrefu kuwakilisha mtazamo wa jamii. Na ukweli ni kuwa ni walimu, kuliko kundi lolote jingine ndio wanaoamua mtazamo huu, na kubadili mawazo na matumaini ya taifa”.

Na kuongeza kuwa:

“Elimu inayotolewa ni lazima ijenge mambo matatu kwa kila mwananchi, akili ya kuuliza, uwezo wa kujifunza kutoka kwa wengine - na kuyakataa au kuyakubali kutokana na mahitaji yake - na uwezo wa kujiamini kama raia huru na sawa katika jamii, anayethamini wengine na kuthaminiwa kwa anayofanya na siyo kwa anachopata”.

Desemba 1967 alisema:
“Mafanikio ya sehemu kubwa ya jaribio letu kujenga jamii ya kidemokrasia ni  mkusanyiko wa mjadala huru kufuatiwa na utendaji wa maamuzi ya pamoja; kama watoto watazoea haya shuleni watakuwa wanajifunza majukumu ya uraia katika jamii huru.”

Julius Nyerere, Elimu ya Kujitegemea alisema:

“Tulipoanzisha vyama vya wafanyakazi, na halafu baada ya Uhuru kwa uamuzi wa Serikali ya TANU, wafanyakazi wa Tanzania wamelindwa wasinyonywe na matajiri wao, watu binafsi, na hata mashirika ya umma. Na ulinzi huo umezidishwa siku hata siku. Kima cha chini cha mishahara kimewekwa na kimekuwa kikiongezwa mara kwa mara. Sasa ni vigumu sana kumfukuza mfanyakazi, na kila mfanyakazi apate heshima yake kama binadamu (Julius K. Nyerere (1974): UHURU NI KAZI, National Printing 
Company Ltd, Dar es Salaam, ukurasa 15)”.

1976 alisema haya kuhusu elimu ya watu wazima;
“Jambo moja lisiloepukika ni kwamba lazima rasilimali zitengwe kwa ajili ya elimu ya watu wazima. Bila ya hivyo haitafanyika! Kupo kusisitiza katika wakati wa matatizo ya uchumi – jambo ambalo kwa nchi maskini ni la kila mara – kwa serikali kubana pesa kwa ajili ya elimu ya watu wazima. Na kuna tabia, pia wakati wa ukosefu wa wataalam, kuamua kuwa elimu ya watu wazima isubiri".

1976: Katika mkutano wa Wakuu wa Shule za Sekondari, Dar es Salaam:

“Taifa letu – taifa lolote – ni zuri na mahali pazuri pa kuishi kama raia wake watalifanya liwe hivyo. Uongozi wake unaweza kuwa mzuri, mbaya au usiojali lakini kama watu wake wameamka (ki-elimu) na wanajitambua, haitachukua muda mrefu kuwakilisha mtazamo wa jamii na kubadili mawazo na matumaini ya taifa.” 

 WATU WENYE ULEMAVU NA RASIMU YA KATIBA YA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA 2013:

Katika rasimu ya katiba mpya Tanzania, kuna vigezo ambavyo vimemlenga moja kwa moja mtu mwenye mahitaji maalum (mwenye ulemavu). Vigezo hivi vimeainishwa kama ifuatavyo:

Sura ya kwanza, sehemu ya kwanza, kifungu namba 4(3).

Serikali itaweka mazingira yatakayowawezesha kuwepo kwa mawasiliano ya lugha mbadala zikiwemo lugha ya alama na nukta nundu kwenye sehemu muhimu za umma na katika vyombo vya habari vitakavyotangaza habari zake kitaifa kwa ajili ya watu wenye mahitaji maalum.

Sura ya 4, Sehemu ya Kwanza, kifungu namba. 44(1).

44.-(1) Mtu mwenye ulemavu anastahiki:

(a) kuheshimiwa, kutambuliwa nakutendewa kwa namna ambayo haishushi utu wake.

(b) kupata elimu kwa kutumia vifaa maalum na kushiriki katika shughuli za kijamii.

(c) kuwekewa miundombinu na mazingira yatakayowezesha kwenda anapotaka, kutumia vyombo vya usafiri na kupata habari.

(d) kutumia lugha za alama, maandishi ya nukta nundu au njia nyingine zinazofaa;

(e) haki ya kusoma na kuchanganyika na watu wengine; na 

(f) haki ya kupata ajira na kugombea nafasi za uongozi katika nyadhifa mbalimbali kwa usawa.

(2) Mamlaka ya nchi itaweka utaratibu wa sheria utakaowezesha watu wenye ulemavu kushiriki katika nafasi za uwakilishi.zitakazomwezesha mtu asiyeona azitofautishe kwa thamani zake. Pia ni mategemeo yetu kuwa katika maeneo yote ya huduma muhimu za kijamii kama mabenki, taasisi za serikali pamoja na zisizo za kiserikali patakuwa na watafsiri wa lugha ya alama.

Hata hivyo, katika maoni ya marekebisho ya mwisho ya rasimu ya katiba mpya ambayo Shirikisho la Vyama Vya Watu Wenye Ulemavu Tanzania (SHIVYAWATA) lilifanya, lilipendekeza kuwa kila mahali panapoainishwa makundi ya jumla ya watu, ni vizuri wakataja moja kwa moja na watu wenye mahitaji maalum. Wadau wa elimu wanakumbuka suala la elimu enzi za ukoloni; mahali walipotaja neno “wanafunzi” lilimaanisha wanafunzi wa kiume tu. Baada ya uhuru wa Tanganyika mwaka 1961, wadau wa elimu walikuja na pendekezo kuwa kila panapotajwa wanafuzi pia iongezwe maneno yaliyomaanisha “wa kiume na wa kike” ili kupoteza dhana ya utengaji. Hivyo, SHIVYAWATA limetaka rasmu ya katiba mpya ibainishe wazi hayo makundi ya watu kuwa ni pamoja na ya watu wenye mahitaji maalum.

Hitimisho

Ni heshima kubwa tunayotakiwa kumpa huyu muasisi wa taifa la Tanzania kwa vitendo. Tujifunze kwa kadri alivyosema na akaishi kwa maneno yake aliyoyasema. Alifanya mengi kwa faida ya taifa ili kujenga misingi ya jamii imara na jumuishi kupitia elimu. Wakati huu kuelekea kupata katiba mpya ndio muda muafaka wa kumuenzi Mwalimu Nyerere.

Kuwa na katiba nzuri inamaanisha kuainisha vipaumbele vya wananchi ambao ndio msingi wa katiba yenyewe, na ambavyo wamevipendekeza wenyewe. Pia tunatakiwa tuitekeleze katiba yetu kwa vitendo. Mahali palipotajwa watu wenye mahitaji maalum na kipaumbele chao ni vizuri kikatekelezwa kama kilivyoainishwa. Mathalan, kwenye kipengele cha usawa wa upatikanaji wa habari kupitia vyombo vya habari, tunategemea kuona magazeti yanatolewa nakala za nukta nundu, sarafu na noti za fedha ziwe na alama.

“FIKIRI KIJUMUISHI ~~~ TENDA KIJUMUISHI ~~~ JENGA TAIFA JUMUISHI”