PRISCCA hails landmark judgement on prisoners’ right to vote

Prisons Care and Counseling Association (PRISCCA) is happy with the Constitutional Court’s ruling allowing remandees and convicted prisoners who have appealed their convictions to vote in elections.

PRISCCA Executive Director Godfrey Malembeka whose organisation had petitioned the Electoral Commission of Zambia and Attorney General in the Constitutional court asking the court to declare that all remandees and pre-trial remandees and convicts whose cases are on appeal and unable to secure bail be allowed to vote, says the decision by the court is in line with the paradigm shift of transforming prisons into correctional facilities.

Mr. Malembeka has told Q-news that there can be no democracy in any nation if some sections of society such as prisoners are denied the right to vote.

He has further noted that denying prisoners the right to vote infringed on their rights and made them feel stigmatized.

Mr Malembeka is therefore optimistic that this law will be put in effect as soon as possible.