Staff Reporter

G40 kingpin and Presidential hopeful, Saviour Kasukuwere has been barred from contesting the 2023 Harmonized General Elections. This followed a High Court application by a citizen, Lovedale Mangwana to block Kasukuwere from contesting for the presidency on 23 August 2023 citing provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act

In his application, Mangwana argued that Kasukuwere is not eligible to contest for the presidency having been out of the country for 18 months. The High Court concurred with Mangwana`s case indicating that Kasukuwere stopped being a registered voter when he was outside the country for more than 18 months.

According to section 91 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, a person qualifies to contest for an election as President or Vice President if, (1) he or she (a) is a Zimbabwean citizen by birth or descent, (b) has attained the age of forty years (c) is ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe, and (d) is registered as a voter. 

Passing his judgement, Justice David Mangota said, “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 High Court judgement has thrown spanners into Kasukuwere`s grand plan of splitting ZANU PF votes to prevent an outright win for the revolutionary party. The move was meant to force a re-run that would benefit the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

Meanwhile, Kasukuwere is set to appeal to the Supreme Court.