Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla led Eswatini’s first Disability Arts Festival on September 27, breaking new ground by placing government leadership at the centre of disability inclusion.
“This occasion is more than a festival; it is a testament to courage, creativity, and the undeniable truth that disability is not inability,” said Dladla during her opening remarks.
The festival gathered artists with disabilities, caregivers, sign-language interpreters, and musicians in a day of performance, poetry, and song.
Performers including young women Charity and Nothando were recognized, underscoring the impact of creating spaces where people with disabilities can showcase their talent.
Edd Branson Publishers, a partner in the event, announced plans to mentor and promote some of the performers internationally.
Talks are also underway with Kenyan and East African musicians to produce a collaborative album rooted in the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which stresses collective success.
Advocates in Kenya observed that Eswatini’s approach offers a model. “Her Excellency Dladla has shown that leadership matters,” said a Nairobi-based disability-rights advocate.
“By combining policy, resources, and personal engagement, she has turned ideas into opportunities. Kenya and Africa as a whole can replicate this approach to empower its own artists and citizens with disabilities.”
Kenya has introduced disability policies in recent years but campaigners argue implementation remains uneven, pointing to gaps in education, employment, technology access, and inclusive cultural spaces.
Observers say Eswatini’s deliberate investment shows inclusion can move from paper commitments to lived reality.
Festival organisers closed with a call for cross-border collaboration, expressing hope that Kenyan performers with disabilities will take part in the next edition and feature in the planned music project.