The Zambia Law Development Commission has recommended Electronic Voting as one of the means to actualise prisoners’ rights to vote.
The Commission has also recommended that the Electoral Process Act be amended by repealing section nine sub-section one clause “E” and section 47 to establish polling stations in Correctional facilities.
Zambia Law Development Commission Chairperson, Roydah Kaoma says the commission has further recommended that the Prisons Act Chapter 97 of the Laws of Zambia, must be reviewed to enhance prisoners’ access to information.
Justice Kaoma, who is also Supreme Court Judge, says the move will additionally enable the Electoral Commission of Zambia -ECZ- to access Correctional Facilities.
She says the recommendations follow the finalisation of the survey carried by the commission, after a request by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Justice Kaoma says the request was issued in 2018 after the 2017 Constitutional Court Judgement in the Case of Godfrey Malembeka versus the Attorney General, which validated the right to vote among prisoners under lawful custody.
She disclosed this during a Virtual Meeting in Lusaka, encompassing officials of the Zambia Law Development Commission, Zambia Correctional Service, Electoral Commission of Zambia and Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue-ZCID.
Prisons Care and Counselling Association Executive Director Godfrey Malembeka and other stakeholders also participated in the virtual meeting.
Dr. Malembeka was a litigant in the 2017 case of Godfrey Malembeka versus the Attorney General, where the Constitutional Court validated the right to vote among prisoners under lawful custody.
The opposition must watch this particular constituency; who campaigns there and how. What gratification the constituency inside gets, from who and why?
Keep an open eye on this.
Are you going to allow HH, CK Tayali and other presidential aspirants to campaign in prisons. If yes the it’s ok but the fact remains that figures to come from prisoners won’t be accurate.
BA LT WHAT PRISON IS IN YOUR PICTURE?
The PF government thinks by allowing prisoners to vote will give them upper chance to win the elections.
The God Almighty is watching over your evil intentions.
PF must go!
This is very progressive. Prisoners are zambians so I would rather they vote than some angry imbecilic diasporan who ain’t zambian anymore
This is very progressive. Prisoners are zambians so I would rather they vote than some angry imbecilic diasporan who ain’t zambian anymore . Kz
Common sense says that, if PF say its a progressive move, its normally the opposite, retrogressive.
Mmmm this smells fishy. Please leave these guys alone. PF and judge Chuulu are looking for a loophole for fake votes.
I can predict that this will be a way to win by forging extra votes why cant prisoners vote the same way as everyone else ????????????????
Let them vote, normal way. No electronic. Ba Kaizer nabo, so obsessed with diaspora. At times, its better to keep quiet.
Kaizer is in a council flat in East London , so disregard this phoney on Lusakatimes. How can a government official be blogging 24/7 as if he doesn’t have work to do n serve the Zambian people? How is life now under Brexit n Corona iwe KZ? Don’t stress too much a vaccine is on its way but continue self isolating to reduce active numbers.
Following, allow HH in power.