WELCOME back to disability and development corner, your weekly feature that brings you real life changing stories.

This week we are privileged to speak to Ken Lupeta a physically challenged man who is focused on the mainstreaming of disability and a strong believer in the creation of a free society for all.

We all know that persons with disabilities face many obstacles in their struggle for equality.

Although men and women with disabilities are subject to discrimination because of their condition, Persons with disabilities in rural areas face further disadvantage because of the combined discrimination based on community perception on disability and discrimination within families.

It is a fact that persons with disabilities in rural parts of Zambia have been neglected by society and families and are not considered on many issues of importance to disabled people but Mr Lupeta believes that this must be changed for once.

Mr Lupeta also said the disabilities are further ignored by those concerned with disability issues in Zambia yet the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has attempted to recognise persons with disabilities although more action is what disabled people in rural areas want.

It is a duty of society to help persons with disabilities integrate and feel accepted within communities and equally extends to all aspects of social life more especially society allowing us to participate in all community programmes but who is Ken Lupeta?

Dr Mwape:  Good morning Mr Lupeta please tell us who Ken is?

Mr Lupeta: Thank you so much Dr Mwape for this opportunity to share my experience as a disabled person but i was not born with a disability, my full names are Kenneth Lupeta commonly known as Ken  and was born on 3rd July  1969 in Kabwe were I stated my grade one at Ngungu Primary school.

Dr Mwape: Thank you how many are you in your family?

Mr Lupeta:  Ohhhh  we where seven   in the family but i have lost four brothers and we are three currently.

Dr Mwape: When did you start your School and share with us your school life?

Mr Lupeta:  My school life is interesting in a sense that I started grade one in Kabwe as I said earlier. My grandfather who was keeping me retired from Zambia Railways in 1980 and we came here in Mumbwa where I continued with school at Shimbishi Primary School and I passed to grade eight at Mumbwa Secondary School but because my grandfather died I could not continue with school.

Dr Mwape:  Were you born disabled?

Mr Lupeta:  No just unfortunate things happened to me at the age of three when i was attacked by polio and that time polio was a big issue thats how I become disabled and I have accepted this condition.

Dr Mwape:  In short you ended up in grade eight and what happened later?

Mr Lupeta: Yes I ended up in grade eight, You know when you are a disabled  person your needs are usually put on the cover of 1,000 paged book meaning they can only think about your interest after finishing  reading  the book and see what is written on the cover.

Dr Mwape:  Sorry for that but how did you find yourself at Blue Sky FM?

Mr Lupeta:  Dr Mwape there is God in heaven,  you know I stayed for a year  just thinking after failing  to continue  with school and no one was  concerned about my future just because i was disabled.

Mr Lupeta:  Honestly it was very hard for me to believe and accept no one in my family was willing to take me to school and I was not kept well so I decided to start a small business where I was selling cigarettes and that time we were called  “Mishanga boys”.

Dr Mwape: Sorry and I imagine what you went through and you moved to Mumbwa ZAF?

Mr Lupeta:  Yes  because apart from selling  Mishanga I was also a shoe repair so I was told that they want a shoe repair in Zambia  Air  force here in Mumbwa so i decided  to apply  and wait at the market for seven years I  was not  called just  because i was disabled and maybe also not educated so  they called a friend  of mine.

Despite that I decided to wait for a second chance but to no avail.

Dr Mwape: That was very bad after waiting for seven years so what happened next?

Mr Lupeta:  Imagine and I really wanted that job so I started learning how to play the guitar and moved to Mumbwa town and we formed a Kalindula band with friends, produced songs and performed  in bars and other functions but you know music without a sponsor it was very difficult to make it.

It was then that I realised that music is my passion  and I can tell you that I write and compose songs just as you have found me here editing my new songs.

The best gift you can give a disabled child is education because if I had finished school I would I have done a lot in life but poor me no education depending on the goodwill of people this is very painful.

The passion for music is too much in me and I have the desire to have my own studio so that I help young people.

Dr Mwape:  I have seen on your identify card that you are a producer here at Blue sky FM?

Mr Lupeta:  Yes Doc the director here identified me from the community long before opening this radio station which is four months old and because of what he saw in me this opportunity was given to me. There are people who are more educated than me but it’s a great honour for me and am equal to the task.

Dr Mwape: What do you do as producer sir?

Mr Lupeta: I produce adverts, production of programmes and many other related tasks assigned to me by the director and our manager here.

Dr Mwape:  How do you feel to work with able bodied people?

Mr Lupeta:  It’s challenging because I have to double whatever I do and ensure that my work is done on time and perfectly. I believe that disabled people are part of society and should be accepted by people without discrimination.

 I don’t support the idea that disabled people should be treated as special beings with special care. If I make a mistake the boss should deal with me just like any other staff and that is the way even those disabled children in homes should be raised so that when the time comes for integration in society it will be easy for them.

Dr Mwape:  You have not talked about your love life are you married?

Mr Lupeta:  Yes Iam married to a lovely lady and we have four children, I found her with three children but they are all mine by the grace of God we are happy as a family.

Dr Mwape:  What do you think about this Government?

Mr Lupeta: Well so far we have seen a lot of development but there is need for creating employment for us because we cannot compete with so many graduates in a society which believes that disabled people are non profitable people.

Government must introduce workable incentives for people like our boss here at Blue sky FM that when you employ disabled people certain benefits are given be it tax rebates, Government loans to expand businesses so that they can give jobs to more disabled people.

My prayer is that people should stop judging us by our appearance let them see our ability to do things and how best we can contribute to the development of this great country called Zambia.

Dr Mwape:  what is your vision for the next five years?

Mr Lupeta:  For now I have decided to release my album which i have been working on for a long time and I hope that one or two people when my story comes out will partner with  me so that my music  can hit the Zambian market.

Dr Mwape: What is your concluding remark?

Mr Lupeta:  Ohhhhh thank you so much Dr Mwape for this opportunity and my concluding remark is to parents and relative of disabled people please support them take them to school so that when they grow up they can live independent lives and contribute to the development of our nation.

Dr Mwape:  How can people contact you and help in your vision?

Mr Lupeta: Thank you I am found at Blue Sky FM which is situated by Mumbwa motel anyone who wants me can come here and ask for  me any help in terms of music instruments or further training  in music production will help me  and they can contact me  on  my mobile number +260965-436047.

Dr Mwape: Iam greatly inspired by your courage and how do you describe your life?

Mr Lupeta:  Yes Dr Mwape let me also add that in my struggle for survival I also worked for Mumbwa Dunavant Cotton  and during the days I used to sell Mishanga, in an effort to make quick money I started selling dagga and I was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission charged  and sentenced to eight  months suspended sentence and this was my turning point.

Dr Mwape: What is your advise to disabled people?

Mr Lupeta: To my fellow disabled i know what you go through but don’t be used to make fast money  and sell drugs wait for your  time

For your letters please send to us on P.O. BOX 34490 Lusaka, Zambia or use our South African Address. The author is Regional Disability policy Analyst for SADC and Inclusive Development Advisor for Centre for Disability Development Research, Law and Policy, Johannesburg. Project Office, P.O. BOX 1981 New Castle, 2940 South Africa

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