Accessibility Crisis: The Silent Struggle of Persons With Disabilities in Public Spaces

By Delicious Mathuthu

Harare - Zimbabwe’s public infrastructure is failing persons with disabilities (PWDs), with broken elevators, inaccessible entrances and neglected maintenance leaving thousands stranded in government buildings, Parliament heard recently.

Raising the issue during a question-and-answer session, Mkoba South Member of Parliament, Hon. John Kuka, challenged the Ministry of Local Government on the persistent dysfunction of lifts in key public facilities, warning that the lack of accessible infrastructure is not just an inconvenience but a violation of basic rights for persons with disabilities and elderly.

Directing his question to Local Government and Public Works Minister, Hon. Dr. Daniel Garwe, Hon. Kuka asked the government's stand point with regards to improving infrastructure to be disability friendly in the country.

“We see that there is a lot of infrastructure or buildings that are being constructed. Are they being constructed properly and are they also giving an opportunity for those with disabilities and the elderly to use them?

"My question is, what is the government policy looking like throughout the country, the councils, hospitals, to make sure that the elevators are resuscitated, because where we go in most buildings, we see that most of the elevators are no longer working," asked Hon. Kuka.

In his response, Minister Garwe acknowledged the gravity of the situation saying while government policy mandates accessibility features such as ramps and lifts in new construction designs, many existing buildings are grappling with maintenance backlogs.

“The Government policy which is there is to make sure that the architects and engineers, when they are doing their papers or their plans, must be able to come up with ramps or areas that are proper for people who are disabled and elderly to use,” Garwe said.

He clarified that non-functional elevators in public buildings were now an issue of maintenance rather than policy failure.

“Most of the buildings which have got lifts which are not working, it is an issue which we have already discussed with the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Prof. Mthuli Ncube, and they are already aware of the issue,” Minister Garwe said.

He further stated that government is banking on funds from the Mid-Term Budget to address these maintenance challenges.

“We also expect that in the Mid-Term Budget...we get some funds to use for the maintenance,” he added.

Zimbabwe’s Persons with Disabilities Act mandates equal access to public infrastructure, yet aging buildings in cities like Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru frequently fall short due to broken elevators, lack of ramps and neglected maintenance.

In Gweru, PWDs have for years pleaded with Gweru City Council to either fix the elevator at the local authority's three storey main offices, or bring essential offices to the ground floor for easy access.

Despite policy frameworks, implementation has lagged, with funding constraints and bureaucratic delays often cited.

Zimbabwe’s 2017 disability survey found that 11 percent of adults report at least one functional difficulty, rising to nearly 48 percent among those aged 65 and older.

Despite strong policy frameworks such as the National Disability Policy (2021) and convention ratifications like the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), built‐environment standards lag significantly.

A 2025 report by one of Zimbabwe's online publications captured daily frustrations users with disabilities citing buildings without ramps, braille signage, functioning elevators or accessible toilets and parking, forcing many to navigate stairs or be carried.

Academic assessments in Harare’s low-income suburbs, including Mabvuku, Dzivarasekwa, and Budiriro, highlight persistent structural barriers like broken elevators, narrow entrances, uncovered trenches, congested sidewalks and unsafe surfaces persisting even in government facilities.

A 2024 review of 20 public buildings in Harare’s CBD reports elevator compliance at only around 83 percent, but some not functioning, ramps at 39 percent, accessible entrances at 71 percent, toilets at 51 percent, and disability parking at roughly 18 percent