ZEC is right on not issuing voter's roll with pictures - High Court

The High Court judge Justice Happias Zhou has ruled that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is right on not issuing a voters' roll with photographs to political parties or any member of public, and the electoral body cannot be compelled to do otherwise.

Justice Zhou's ruling follows a petition by Ms Ethel Tsitsi Mpezeni, seeking an order barring ZEC from releasing a voters' roll bearing registered voters' pictures. The petition prompted opposition political parties and activists who comprised MDC-Alliance, Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe, People's Democratic Party, Coalition for Democrats, National Constitutional Assembly, Theresa Manase, Pastor Evan Mawarire, Harrison Nkomo, Mr Jeremiah Bamu, Douglas Coltart and  Warship Dumba to combine and file a joinder application.

They argued that they will be completely prejudiced by the order Mpezeni sought saying it would have a negative result on the credibility of the July 30 harmonised elections.

Justice Zhou ruled that Ms Mpezeni's fears that the provision of a photograph will enable criminals to clone national identity documents were properly founded to warrant the court to grant the relief she sought.

Said Justice Zhou: "There is no reason why publication of the photograph should be allowed to people without a legitimate reason to have it. Granting of the interdict does not irreparably prejudice the respondents."