A concerned citizen Steven Kalali has petitioned the High court seeking orders to enforce prisoners' rights to participate as voters in general elections.
Kalali, an advocate filed his application against the Electoral Commission and the Attorney General in which he wants a declaration that the exclusion of prisoners who are above the age of 18 from voter registration exercises is illegal and a violation of their rights enshrined in the constitution.
Kalali's application also seeks to enforce rights of Ugandans living in the diaspora who claim they are never included in the voter registration exercises as citizens of this nation.
To buttress his case, Kalali says Uganda should borrow a leaf from the neighbouring countries such as Kenya and South Africa whose citizens are given the opportunity to vote from the diaspora and inmates are able to cast their presidential vote from prisons.
For this matter, Kalali wants orders compelling the Electoral Commision to liaise with prison authorities to register and Gazette polling centres in prisons to enable prisoners on remand and convicts to exercise their civic right to vote.
Inmates in Luzira Prison