Former Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere’s presidential ambitions have been crushed after the Supreme Court upheld a High Court ruling barring him from contesting next month’s elections.
In a major blow to the G40 leader, the Supreme Court dismissed Kasukuwere’s appeal, ruling that he is no longer a voter after losing his constituency in 2008 and therefore cannot stand as a presidential candidate.
Chief Justice Antonia Guvava, together with Justices Chinembiri Bhunu and Felistas Chatukuta, ruled that Kasukuwere’s appeal “lacked merit” and dismissed it with no order as to costs.
Kasukuwere, once a close ally of former president Robert Mugabe, fled into self-exile in South Africa after the November 2017 coup that ousted the old despot. Kasukuwere and other G40 kingpins like Jonathan Moyo had been targets of purges by the new political players.
The Supreme Court decision puts an end to Kasukuwere’s attempts at a political comeback. Many had dismissed his presidential ambitions as a pipe dream, given his history and fallout with the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Little-known political pressure groups had endorsed Kasukuwere’s presidential bid, but his appeal was still a long shot given his tainted past and time outside the country.
Sources close to him claim Kasukuwere is “devastated” by the court ruling, which effectively ends his presidential hopes and chances of returning to frontline politics any time soon.
His supporters now fear this could drive Kasukuwere further into exile, joining other G40 leaders still holed up in South Africa, Eswatini and Kenya.
