Prisoners to vote in 2021 general elections

ZAMBIAN Prisoners will be allowed to vote in the 2021 general elections, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced. This follows the court ruling in a matter that was taken to the courts by the Prison Care and Counseling Association (PRISCA). ZANIS reports that ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindanotold journalists in Lusaka today that the commission will allow the inmates to vote in the 2021 general elections following the case of Godfrey Malembeka of Prison Care and Counseling Association (PRISCA) Vs Attorney General and ECZ in which the court held that prisoners’ rights to vote should be upheld. “This entails that the commission in fulfilling the ruling was required to undertake prisoners voting for the 2021 general elections. The Commission has made a steady progress towards finalization of the guidelines to facilitate for prison voting ad expected to conclude this by September 2020 in time for the Voter Registration exercise,” said Mr Nshindano Mr Nshindano said the commission will make consultations with key stakeholders especially political parties and non-state actors on modalities regarding prisoners’ participation in the forthcoming elections. He lamented that the exercise has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as some of the activities could not be undertaken as planned. According to Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was  adopted unanimously by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1948, everyone has the right to take part in the government of his/her country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. Prisoners in Zambia and Zambian nationals in the diaspora are some of the consistently disenfranchised groups that do not take part in elections. The Sun