Zambian minister u-turns on allowing prisoners to vote after backlash

A Zambian minister who last week said all prisoners with voters' registration cards will be allowed to vote on Tuesday u-turned on his statement after a backlash from stakeholders.

Minister of Home Affairs Davies Mwila said last week that all prisoners with voters' registration cards will be allowed to vote during the August 11 general election, saying the law provides for the inmates to exercise their right to vote.

The announcement has been backed by the Prisons Care and Counseling Association (PRISCCA), an organization that fights for the rights of prisoners.

The statement has, however, riled stakeholders, who suspect the move was intended to help the ruling party win the August 11 polls, They say it was illegal and unconstitutional, and Mwila was challenged to provide which law supports his claims.

But in a statement released on Tuesday, Mwila admitted that the current law does not allow the participation of prisoners in elections.

He said government's position was that prisoners will not take part in the polls because the law does not allow them.

The country's electoral body also said that no prisoners will be allowed to vote in the forthcoming general election.

Priscillah Isaacs, the electoral body's director, said the country's amended constitution has no provision that allows inmates to vote.

"No prisoners, both convicted or on remand, can be allowed to vote as prisoner voting falls outside the provision of the amended constitution," she said.

According to her, the minister's statement was incorrect and that it should be dismissed.

Zambia will hold presidential, parliamentary and local government polls on August 11 amid concerns from stakeholders on the electoral processes.

Stakeholders have expressed concern on a number of electoral processes, including the electoral body's decision to print ballot papers in Dubai instead of South Africa where the papers have been oriented from in previous elections. Endit