High Court judge Justice David Mangota has nullified former Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s presidential candidature telling him to stop “masquerading as a candidate.”
This means that his nomination has been nullified hence he will not contest as a presidential candidate in the upcoming election to be held on the 23rd of August this year.
Zanu PF activist and lawyer Lovedale Mangwana had taken the matter to court arguing that Kasukuwere had ceased to be a registered voter having been out of his constituency for over 18 consecutive months.
“The decision by the Nomination Court to accept Kasukuwere’s nomination papers is in violation of the constitution of Zimbabwe.
“The 1st respondent has not been resident in any constituency in the Republic of Zimbabwe for a period in excess of 18 consecutive months and his name cannot, by that circumstance, be retained on the voter’s roll,” he argued.
“I heard and considered the case of both parties. I am satisfied that the applicant proved his case on a preponderance of probabilities. The application is, accordingly, granted as prayed in the amended draft order,” the judge ruled.
Kasukuwere was running as an independent candidate.
The former Zanu-PF political commissar is living in exile in South Africa. He fled Zimbabwe in November 2017 during the military coup that ousted late former President Robert Mugabe and installed Emmerson Mnangagwa (the current leader).
He ran away together with his colleagues, former cabinet Ministers Jonathan Moyo, Walter Mzembi and Patrick Zhuwao among others who were opposed to Mnangagwa’s succession plan.
Moyo and Zhuwao have since apologised to Zanu-PF but they did not announce if they will be rejoining Zanu-PF.
In planning to come to Zimbabwe and challenge Mnangagwa, Kasukuwere was banking on the Zanu-PF structures that were instituted during his time especially in Mashonaland Central where his political career began.
Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) top member David Coltart said the barring of Kasukuwere is evidence that he is a threat to Zanu-PF.
“We can deduce from this that Kasukuwere was deemed a real threat to the establishment. My view as a lawyer was that the case against Kasukuwere was baseless in law,” he said.
Former Daily News editor Stanley Gama said he spoke to Kasukuwere “a few minutes ago, he says he is appealing to the higher court. The battle rages on!”
