Nominees Barred From Inspecting Voters Roll

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is concerned by the continued harassment of voters and aspiring candidates by election officials presiding over some voter inspection centers.

ZLHR is aware that several people wishing to check the voters' roll in preparation for their nomination as candidate during the 29 March 2008 elections have been denied their right to do so. ZLHR is also aware that some Zimbabweans, born in Zimbabwe, to foreign parents, have also been frustrated in their seeking to register their names for the elections or inspect the voters roll.

ZLHR is aware that two prospective candidates, one for local council elections in Ward 7 Mt. Pleasant constituency, and the other in parliamentary elections for Mt. Pleasant Constituency were denied their right to inspect the voters' rolls within their constituencies. On the 6th and 7th of February 2008 Mr. B Chiwola and Mrs T. G. B. Stevenson Dickey were both denied inspection of the voters roll at Tomlinson Depot, Alexander Park Primary School and Belvedere Sports Club.

Section 21 (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) clearly provides that every voters roll shall be a public document open to inspection to any member of the public, free of charge, with the right to make any written notes of anything contained therein during office hours. This right was denied the two despite the fact that their success in being nominated to contest as candidates during the elections requires them to ensure that they are nominated by voters registered in their constituency. Mr. Brighton Chiwola was refused this right despite the fact that his lawyers were present with him and cited relevant enabling provisions in the Electoral Act. Mrs. Stevenson was told by the elections officer at Belvedere Sports Club that she would not be allowed to check the voters roll to confirm her nominators' registration despite the enabling section in the Electoral Act because the elections officer had been directed that it be so, by the Registrar-General of Zimbabwe in his capacity as the Registrar-General of Voters.

Letters of complaint addressed to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission have also not resulted in any relief for the two nominees. With only five days left till nomination day on 15 February 2008 it is clear that the continued refusal to allow the two nominees to check the voters roll violates their right as provided for in Section 3 (b) of the Electoral Act, namely the right to participate directly in the governance of their country through standing as candidates.

While ZLHR is in the process of trying to assist the two nominees remedy the violation of their rights, it strongly condemns such conduct by the electoral authorities and failure by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to act against such violations. ZLHR therefore calls upon the electoral authorities to immediately allow all Zimbabweans the enjoyment of their democratic rights as prescribed by the Electoral Act.