The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has given the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) a 24- hour to explain why it has denied human rights lawyer Musa Kika accreditation to observe the August 23 elections.
In a statement on Thursday, ZLHR said its lawyer Tinashe Chinopfukutwa had written to the electoral body demanding to know what influenced the decision to exclude Kika from observing the polls.
"We have given ZEC an hour to explain why it has denied human rights lawyer Musa Kika accreditation to observe Zim’s 2023 general elections. Our lawyer Tinashe Chinopfukutwa has written a letter to ZEC demanding an explanation.”
Kika told NewsDay that sources close to the matter claimed the directive to bar him came from the State security agency.
“We have not received any formal explanation but what we have heard from a journalist who called a Zec official is that they have been advised not to accredit me by the security guys, possibly in the Central Intelligence Organization,” Kika said.
Added Kika: “I can only assume it is the work I do as a human rights advocate as well as the commentary I have been doing around elections. I feel sorry for Zec because it is being used for partisan reasons by the incumbents which are against its mandate.”