Former Zanu PF cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere has had his bid to be Zimbabwe’s next president shot down in flames by the High Court.
Justice Mangota ruled Kasukuwere’s nomination papers were ‘null and void’ after a legal challenge by Zanu PF member Lovedale Mangwana.
Mangwana argued that Kasukuwere had been out of his constituency for more than 18 months, violating Zimbabwe’s constitution.
Kasukuwere claimed he had only left the country on a ‘temporary basis’ for medical reasons. He insisted he was still a registered voter on the constituency’s roll.
However, Justice Mangota ruled Kasukuwere had failed to provide any evidence to back up his claims.
In his legal papers, Kasukuwere had demanded Mangwana prove how long he had been out of the country. But the judge found this was irrelevant as it was up to Kasukuwere to prove he had only been away temporarily.
The ruling is a crushing blow for Kasukuwere, who had hoped to stand as an independent candidate in next month’s election and challenge his former Zanu PF colleague Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Instead, his presidential bid has spectacularly collapsed before it had even gotten off the ground.
