Three million Zimbabweans abroad barred from voting

Zimbabwe’s highest court today barred 3.4 million citizens living abroad - over 20% of the country’s population – from voting in the general election later this month.

Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku and four Supreme Court justices ruled that an urgent appeal “has no merit and should be dismissed”.

Most of those abroad are thought to support the main opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change, which was narrowly defeated in disputed elections in June 2000 and March 2002. Only diplomats and servicemen posted abroad will be allowed to vote, by mail, according to the high court ruling.

Detailed reasons for the ruling will be released later by Chidyausiku, a former Cabinet minister. Chidyausiku was installed by President Robert Mugabe in 2001 after his predecessor, Anthony Gubbay, was forced to step down in the face of death threats.