Zim court to hear prisoners petition to vote in 2018 elections

Yvonne Musarurwa, who was also a prisoner until he was released under an amnesty early this year, is the third applicant.Their application has only been set down for hearing this month although they filed their petition in June 2017, more than a year ago.

In their application, Madzokere, Maengahama and Musarurwa argued that since the period that they have been in prison detention, ZEC had neither carried out any voter education, including voter registration nor enabled prisoners to cast their vote during the several by-elections which were held in the country to elect legislators.

The prisoners, who are represented by Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, argued that they were asserting their constitutional rights particularly the right to vote in elections and referendums as enshrined in Section 67 (3) (a) of the Constitution.

Musarurwa, Madzokere and Maengahama argued that it is common cause  that Zimbabwe is due for general elections in 2018 and they are entitled to exercise their political rights regardless of their status as detainees