By Margaret Kamba 

Senior Citizens for Economic Development National Chairperson Cde Tsvakai Muturiki says her organization is committed to improving the welfare of the elderly in Zimbabwe.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the organization's solar lights programme held in Neta, Mberengwa North, Ward 36 in Midlands Province, Cde Muturiki said this is according to the mandate governing their operations.

"The aim of the Senior Citizens for Economic Development is to improve the livelihoods of the senior citizens in terms of their economic development, social welfare, health, water and sanitation. We formed this organization having felt that they were being neglected and also having heeded to the call by His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa to respect and care for the older people," Cde Muturiki said.

" We are therefore conducting various programmes among them township tourism, drilling of boreholes and solar lighting and entertainment. We have one million members registered whose rights we are fighting for."

Cde Muturiki added that "Senior Citizens for Economic Development has partnered with Elaine Solar Lights to provide lighting for the senior citizens seeing as they are extremely affected by the lack of it with reports about snake bites being rife. This partnership has provided them with less risk in terms of house fires due to candle lighting."

Adding to the matter, Harare Provincial Chairperson Cde Selina Masimo said " We also provide massage trainings to the elderly and have realised that this is helping them recover from some health challenges that they face. We carry out clean-up exercises for our members whom we feel are not able to do so."

Midlands Provincial Chairperson Cde Janet Shava added that "Some of the rights that we have been lobbying for are the provision of free transportation for senior citizens and pensions for them especially looking at how other countries care for their elderly."