Chadema to challenge Zanzibar elections law

Chadema to challenge Zanzibar elections law
By Mwinyi sadallah
11th August 2009
The opposition Chama cha Demkrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) has said it would file a petition in the Zanzibar High Court to seek an order to suspend the voter’s registration exercise.

Chadema Secretary General in the isles Hamad Mussa Yusuf said the Zanzibar Elections Act was inconsistent with Zanzibar’s Constitution of 1984.

Yusuf said the conflict between the two laws had caused some problems since the exercise commenced on July 6 this year. He said if not rectified many people would be denied the right to vote in the coming general election.

He said the Zanzibar Elections Act states that for one to qualify for registration in the voter’s register one must have residential identity card and not other wise.

Yusuf said at the same time the Isles Constitution provides that a Zanzibari will not be eligible for voters’ registration if he does not have a birth certificate or an identity card which shows that he was registered in the previous elections.

He said unfortunately most people who went for registration with birth certificates were denied their right because they did not have residential identity cards something which he said was contradictory with the Zanzibar Constitution.

He further said that when there is conflict of law between the constitution and other laws the constitution must prevail.

“We are blaming the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi and the opposition Civic Untied Front representatives who approved the election law which contradicts with the constitution,” Yusuf said.