By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has confiscated walking canes donated to the blind by an India organisation Kantahry International.

The donation, which was supposed to be hande over to one Robert Malunda, a Bulawayo based blind graduate who is currently surviving on airtime vending was reportedly confiscated by ZIMRA and will only be released upon payment of the required $430.

The donation comes at a time when concern has been raised over the number of blind people who are being run over by cars in the central business district.

Lamented one Chris Tabvura:

Honestly, our ZIMRA has become clueless on the way they raise money. ZIMRA confiscated 100 donated canes for blind people, instead of handing them over to Robert Malunda, a Bulawayo based blind graduate who is surviving through selling Airtime. Malunda had requested for the donation from an Indian organisation Kanthary International and was given the donation to help fellow visually challenged colleagues who have been facing problem of hit and run by reckless drivers. Now that ZIMRA with educated professionals and respected Ministry are forcibly taking what was donated for the blind, what will become of these disadvantaged people? According to Malunda, ZIMRA is demanding US$430.00 as duty for donated walking sticks from India to be specific. Does our government care for the blind or want them to be knocked by motorists daily?

Murena Zvinoruka however said:

“There are rules and procedures to be followed for goods and services to qualify for duty free and the ZIMRA officials don’t have powers to allow goods through the boarders just because they are for blind people. These people have to follow the correct procedures when importing goods for the disabled as long as they do it properly the law allows these goods duty free