Zimbabwe bars 3 million exiles from voting

Zimbabwe bars 3 million exiles from voting

CHINAMASA

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By Agencies

ZIMBABWE'S Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa says that Zimbabweans outside the country will not be allowed to vote in elections expected in March next year.

Chinamasa was responding to questions in parliament from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) shadow justice minister David Coltart.

Still, when Coltart said most Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries allowed citizens to post votes from abroad, Chinamasa said: "The law in our situation is explicit. Citizens of Zimbabwe who are resident will be allowed to vote."

Some analysts claim that up to a quarter of all Zimbabweans now live abroad, with most fleeing to South Africa and Britain to escape economic hardship and political persecution. "These people are still Zimbabweans," said MDC MP Abedinico Bhebhe. The opposition claims "overwhelming support" from Zimbabweans living abroad.

Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party has repeatedly claimed it will abide by SADC election norms in next year's parliamentary poll. The MDC has rejected Zanu-PF's claims and threatened to boycott the election unless there is "meaningful progress" towards transparency and free and fair polls in the troubled country.

Meanwhile Chinamasa further dismissed MDC pleas for immediate access to state-owned radio and television, saying: "You cannot have a country that is permanently on elections from January to December. Outside election periods, broadcasters are free to determine what news to broadcast."

The MDC has made repeated complaints about the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation's (ZBC) "fierce loyalty" to the ruling party. The country has no independent electronic media, while the government has banned four independent newspapers in recent years.

Chinamasa said access to the state-owned ZBC would be regulated during the run up to the election, when the opposition would have access to the airwaves. - Sapa
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