open for 12 hours. Thus if all voters turn out to vote at their station the only way that they would be able to all vote is if each voter took only 22 seconds to vote. ZESN further points out that in one city district which has 4600 voters, each voter would have to take only 9 seconds in order for all registered voters to be able to vote. Thus in urban centres even if the hours of opening of a station were to be extended, it would still be impossible for everyone to vote. Many urban voters will thus be effectively disenfranchised as they were similarly disenfranchised in the 2002 Presidential elections because again there were far too few urban polling stations. The unfair nature of the distribution of polling stations is demonstrated by the fact that in rural areas, the average number of voters per polling station is only 600. On 13 March 2008, the Electoral Court turned down an MDC application for an order compelling ZEC to supply a copy of the electronic roll in a searchable format that did not allow it to be electronically searchable. The Electoral Court maintained it did not have jurisdiction to deal with this matter yet this was the very court set up to resolve electoral disputes quickly and thereby enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral processes. The MDC is now having to take this case to the High Court. The MDC also sought a full print out copy of the roll from ZEC, only to be told that this could only be supplied after the election. The MDC is also applying to the High Court for an order compelling ZEC – • • • • 12. to disclose the number of ballot papers that have been printed and the identity of the firm contracted to print them; to allow inspection and auditing of ballot papers; to disclose the number of postal votes cast, where they come from and where these votes will be allocated; to disclose the number of voter registration certificates that have been issued to persons whose names are not on the electoral roll and when these were issued. Foreign and local observers The African Union Guidelines for African Union Electoral Observation and Monitoring Missions states: International, regional and national observers have come to play an important role in enhancing the transparency and credibility of elections and democratic governance in Africa. Because there has been widespread doubt about the fairness and integrity of the election process in Zimbabwe in the past, it is vitally important that there should be extensive observation of the upcoming election by a wide cross-section of observation teams. 17