Expelled Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has taken his fight to be reinstated as a presidential candidate to the Constitutional Court after the Supreme Court kicked out his appeal last week.
Kasukuwere wants the top court to overturn a High Court ruling that barred him from contesting in the elections after he was removed from the ballot paper by ZEC following a challenge by Zanu PF activist Lovedale Mangwana. In his application, ‘Tyson’ claims the courts violated his constitutional right to participate in elections by disqualifying him merely because he spent more than 18 months out of the country.
He insists he never renounced his Zimbabwean citizenship and argues he remains a registered voter. Kasukuwere accuses the Supreme Court of rendering a “patently wrong judgment” and violating his political rights by confirming his removal.
The controversial politician is now seeking direct access to the Constitutional Court, arguing the High Court had no jurisdiction to hear Mangwana’s application. He claims Mangwana should have challenged his placement on the voters roll instead of his candidacy.
In dramatic fashion, ‘Tyson’ says ZEC, not the courts, have the power to run elections and only the Electoral Court could have handled the dispute. A date is yet to be set for the application to be heard as the legal drama over Kasukuwere’s candidacy continues.
