Nice engages the blind in Mulanje

The National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust in Mulanje continues to expand its voting messages to ensure that more people take part in the 2014 Tripartite Elections.

Over the weekend, Mulanje Nice engaged the blind in the district where members were sensitised on the need for voting.

On Saturday, the organisation was at Mulanje School for the Blind while on Sunday, it gathered the blind to remind them about the need to take part in the polls.

What emerged from these meetings was the blind members’ concern about the registration process. Some complained that they failed to register because there were no people to escort them to the registration centres.

Others, who registered, were not sure if the identities were theirs.

But Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa insisted on Tuesday that friends and relatives of the blind have the responsibility to take them to registration centres.

“They have to find trusted people who should lead them to the registration centres. Again, there are officers at the centres who are ready to help them should they need help,” said Mwafulirwa.

He urged the blind as well as all people with disabilities to go and register, saying they will be given priority as they will not have to be on the queue.

Mulanje Nice district civic education officer Twambilire Mwaungulu observed that the blind are mostly ignored in such activities because some of their duties are ignored.

“When we look at people with disabilities, we only think about vocational assistance and food. We forget that they have the right to take part in choosing the leaders of their country,” said Mwabungulu, who called on the blind to do all they can in order to vote.

Mwafulirwa disclosed that MEC is planning to have tactile ballots in places where people have visual challenges.