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Supreme Court to hear postal votes challenge
Zim-Online
February 17, 2005

http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=9072

HARARE - The Supreme Court will next week hear an urgent application by some Zimbabweans living outside the country seeking the court to overturn a decision by the government not to allow postal votes in next month's election.

The eight foreign-based Zimbabweans want exiled citizens to be declared eligible voters and the government ordered to put in place mechanisms to enable them to register on the voters' roll so that they can vote in the March election.

Beatrice Mtetwa, who is representing the applicants said: "The case will be heard on 23 February. We want all voters resident outside Zimbabwe to be declared eligible voters in all parliamentary and presidential elections."

The eight applicants are, Jefta Madzingo, Farayi Maruzani, Emily Madamombe, Matthew Nyashanu, Makusha Mugabe, Brian Mukuzva and Lincoln Makotore. The Registrar General, Attorney General, Electoral Supervisory Commission and Ministry of Justice are cited as respondents in the case. They have already filed opposing papers with the court.

Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa has also been quoted by state media insisting the government will not allow the exiled Zimbabweans, most of who are believed to back the opposition, to vote.

More than three million Zimbabweans or about a quarter of the country's population live in foreign countries mostly in South Africa, Britain, United States and Botswana after fleeing home because of hunger, economic hardship and political violence.

In their court application, the eight exiled Zimbabweans said it was unreasonable for the government to ask Zimbabweans in the diaspora to contribute to the country's economic revival while at the same time refusing them the right to determine the
political direction of the country.

The government has since last year encouraged Zimbabweans living and working abroad to send hard cash home to help end an acute foreign currency crisis gripping the country. - ZimOnline

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