• Article 3 - which provides for the equality of all individuals before the law; • Article 13 - which guarantees every citizen the right to participate freely in the government of his or her country; • Article 19 - which provides for the equality of all peoples, irrespective of their place of origin etc. PROCEDURE 11. The communication is dated 12th February 1998. 12. On the 10th March 1998, the Secretariat sent a letter acknowledging receipt of the complaint. 13. At its 23rd ordinary session held in Banjul, The Gambia from 20th to 29th April 1998, the Commission decided to be seized of this case and requested further information in order to decide on admissibility at the next session. 14. On 25th June 1998, the Secretariat sent letters to the parties notifying them of the Commission's decision. 15. At its 24th ordinary session held in Banjul, The Gambia from 22nd to 31st October 1998, the Commission postponed consideration of admissibility of the communication to the 25th ordinary session and instructed the Secretariat to request more information from the Parties. 16. On 26th November 1998, the Secretariat informed the Parties of the decision accordingly. 17. At its 25th ordinary session held in Bujumbura, Burundi, the Commission declared the communication admissible and postponed its consideration on the merit to the 26th ordinary session. 18. On 13th May 1999, the Secretariat of the Commission notified the parties of this decision. 19. At the 26th ordinary session of the Commission held in Kigali, Rwanda, the Commission considered the communication and invited parties to present oral arguments o the merits of the case. 20. Letters conveying this decision were dispatched to the parties by the Secretariat on 18th January 2000. 21. Reminders to this effect were sent on 14th March 2000, with a copy to the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Addis Ababa. 22. On 30th March 2000, the State Party responded to the above request. 23. On 31st March 2000, the Secretariat of the Commission acknowledged receipt of the document, but reminded it of the necessity of it sending the relevant sections of the Constitution together with the Supreme Court's decision on the case, as soon as possible. A copy of this Note was forwarded to its Embassy in Addis Ababa. A copy of the State Party's submission was also forwarded to the Complainant in Lusaka. 24. On 7th April 2000, the State Party sent a fax to the Secretariat requesting for a copy of the report