The National Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrations have been held successfully in Iganga district.

Even with intermittent rains, participants especially people with disabilities thronged the venue in numbers. They appeared a serious lot that had all faith and hope in their day.

State Minister for Gender and Social Development Peace Mutuuzo is unhappy about the continued discrimination of people with disabilities in many areas of life.

“Some people are disabled in their heads. How can you refuse to treat a disabled person in hospital or deny such a person other social services?” she wonders. Mutuuzo says such negative attitudes against vulnerable groups must stop.

The minister says, 6.4 million people (12.6%) of the country’s population is disabled. She challenges Local governments to consider inclusive planning and budgeting for People with disabilities in all sectors.

Alex Ndeezi, the MP for people with disabilities from Western region says President Yoweri Museveni should consider meeting people with disabilities just he met leaders from all regions recently. He is happy with the five billion shillings special grant by government to people with disabilities. He however wants this money to be doubled to 10 billion as earlier promised.

15 people received wheelchairs during the ceremony while two groups of people with disabilities also got five million each under the special grants program.