Zambian Teen Fights City Hall for His Independence, and We Should All Be Listening
In a story that should resonate with every Zambian who has ever felt ignored by those in power, a 15-year-old boy is taking on the local council to reclaim his freedom. While this battle is happening in Liverpool, the fight against bureaucratic indifference is one we know all too well here at home.
Jack Ince, a teenager with cerebral palsy who uses an electric wheelchair, has launched a campaign to force Liverpool Council to install dropped kerbs on his route to the local shop. He wants his independence back, and he is not taking no for an answer.
Why is a teenager demanding dropped kerbs?
Jack lives on Landsdowne Place and needs to travel to Breckfield Road North to visit Rash's Convenience Store, less than half a mile from his home. Because the pavement is not accessible, he is forced to go into the road, putting himself at risk from oncoming traffic. For a young man with a visual impairment as well, this is a daily danger that no one should have to face.
He first contacted the council last December, hoping for a simple solution. Instead, he was told that no changes were planned for the area. Most of us would have given up there. Jack did not.
“I want to be able to go to the shops on my own and get my independence back. It's really hard for me, I have to go into the road sometimes. I sent a letter to the council but they didn't reply at first.”
That is the voice of a young man who refuses to be sidelined. He started his campaign last Christmas, gave the council time, and when they failed him, he organized a formal petition.
What does the petition demand?
The petition, formally presented to the Lord Mayor by Councillor Portia Fahey, calls for dropped kerbs to be installed from Mere Lane to the convenience store. It states that the current situation places Jack and others at “significant risk to oncoming traffic and prevents him from moving about his local area with the independence and dignity that other young people take for granted.”
This is not a luxury request. Dropped kerbs are a “basic and well-established accessibility feature,” as the petition rightly points out. In any decent society, they should not require a 15-year-old to fight a bureaucratic war to get them.
How did the council respond?
The council's response is a masterclass in passing the buck. A spokesperson said they recognize the importance of dropped kerbs, but they do not have the capacity to deliver additional installations outside of planned works this financial year. In other words: we hear you, but we will not help you.
This is the same language we hear from officials everywhere, including right here in Zambia. It is the language of those who protect the system instead of serving the people. Jack's message to the council should be a rallying cry for every citizen who has ever been brushed aside: “Please, please listen to all the wheelchair users in this area. Please support us, please listen to everyone.”
What can Zambians learn from Jack's fight?
Jack Ince is a hero not because he is asking for a handout, but because he is demanding his rights. He is holding those in power accountable, and he is doing it with dignity and determination. His campaign is supported by users and staff at The Breckfield Centre, where he has been a visitor for five years. He is not alone, and that is what makes him powerful.
In Zambia, we know what it means to fight for our independence. We did it as a nation, and we must continue to do it as individuals when our leaders fail us. Whether it is accessible infrastructure, fair treatment, or simply being heard, the lesson is the same: do not accept silence as an answer.
Jack's fight is not just about kerbs. It is about the right of every person to move through their community with dignity. It is about refusing to be invisible. And it is a reminder that sometimes the bravest voices come from the youngest among us.
We should all be listening.