Zimbabwe’s barred presidential candidate takes political fight to Supreme Court

By Jeffrey Moyo

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AA) – Zimbabwean politician Savior Kasukuwere, a loyalist to former President Robert Mugabe, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court on Wednesday evening against a court ruling announced earlier in the day, which nullified his candidacy for the presidential elections next month.

According to the country's law, after filing an appeal, the earlier High Court ruling is automatically suspended.

“We have noted the judgment of the High Court barring ‘President’ Kasukuwere from participating in the upcoming elections. The judgment is regrettable as it compromises the integrity of the elections. Lots of issues are questionable and can’t be sustained by an appellate court,” Jacqueline Sande, one of Kasukuwere's lawyers who also serves as his spokesperson, said in a statement after the notice of appeal was filed.

She is also Kasukuwere’s chief election advisor.

Earlier in the day, Zimbabwe High Court Judge David Mangota barred Kasukuwere from running as a presidential candidate in the Aug. 23 elections.

Briefing journalists after the judgment, Lewis Uriri, the counsel of Lovedale Mangwana, a citizen who challenged Kasukuwere’s candidacy, said the high court ordered Kasukuwere to stop masquerading as a presidential candidate in any way as he was no longer a registered voter.

Kasukuwere, who had filed his nomination papers to run for the presidency, is in exile in South Africa after he fled from Zimbabwe following a coup that toppled late former Zimbabwean President Mugabe.

“One of the qualifications of a candidate for the presidential election is that they ought to be registered as a registered voter and the law is that if you are not ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe for at least 18 months then you are deemed to have ceased to be a registered voter,” Uriri said.