Court directs IEBC to allow registered prisoners to vote

Written By maboko on Monday, January 21, 2013 | 9:03 PM


The High Court has today directed the IEBC to formulate a mechanism that allows prisoners to participate in the forthcoming March 4 general elections.

Justice David Majanja who delivered the ruling stated that prisoners have a constitutional right to vote as a vulnerable group. Majanja further said that the IEBC should in future register prisoners to participate in referendums and elections.

Court directs IEBC to allow registered prisoners to vote
The ruling was in response to a petition by civil society group Kituo Cha Sheria which had gone to court to obtain orders to have IEBC reopen the voter registration process to accommodate prisoners.

The group further wanted the IEBC to deploy returning officers to the prisons to oversee the registration of inmates. Majanja however declined to issue the order saying that the process cannot be reopened as it would bring confusion to the entire electoral process.
The IEBC had declined to reopen the voter registration process that ran from November 18 to December 18 last year stating that it was strained for time if it was still to hold credible elections.