EDUCATING PRISONERS

Following Wednesday's ruling by the High Court allowing prisoners to vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum, the Committee of Experts (CoE) now says it has been carrying out civic education on the draft in prisons through partnership with various organizations.

The CoE Director Dr.Ekuru Aukot says although the ruling was unexpected the committee was confident that prisoners would be sufficiently informed on the contents of the proposed constitution ahead of the August 4 referendum.

Speaking to KBC on phone Aukot said that apart from the civic education the organizations have also been sensitizing inmates about their rights.

The Interim Independent Constitutional Dispute Resolution Court Wednesday ruled that prisoners be allowed to take part in the forthcoming referendum.

A five judge bench further directed the Interim Independent Electoral Commission to register the inmates in the next 21 days starting Thursday.

Only inmates who are of sound mind, aged 18 and have their Identification cards qualify to register for the referendum set for 4th of August this year.

The suit had been filed by inmates from Shimo La Tewa prison.

The land mark ruling will see over 50,000 inmates held in the country's prisons take part in a vote for the first time since independence.

Section 43 (c ) of the current constitution disqualifies convicts from voting in presidential, parliamentary and civic elections but the convicts told the Court that the section of the law does not bar prisoners from participating in a referendum.

Through Kituo Cha Sheria, a human rights lobby group, the prisoners argued that barring them from the plebiscite to accept or reject the proposed constitution was unconstitutional and a violation of their rights.