HARARE – The case in which exiled independent presidential candidate Saviour Kasukuwere is seeking nullification of a High Court ruling blocking him from contesting in next month’s harmonised elections will now be heard on July 27.
Kasukuwere initially opposed urgent hearing of the case after Zanu PF activist, Lovedale Mangwana who is challenging his nomination, also filed an application at the Supreme Court seeking hearing of the matter on an urgent basis.
On Wednesday, Kasukuwere made a U-turn, telling the apex court through his lawyers that he was no longer opposed to urgent hearing.
“We took instructions from our client who requested that we consent to that order being sought; so, we agreed that the appeal will be heard on an urgent basis.
“That will be on the 27th of this month following the filing of papers by parties,” said his lawyer Method Ndlovu.
Kasukuwere’s nomination as one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 11 challengers was overturned by Justice David Mangota last week.
Mangota ruled the former Zanu PF political commissar could not take part in any Zimbabwean poll because he has been absent from the country for more than 18 months.
The judge concurred with Mangwana’s argument that Kasukuwere’s absence from the country for an uninterrupted 18-month period rendered him unqualified to stand in any election as stipulated by the country’s electoral law.
Kasukuwere then filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court judges Susan Mavangira, Chinembiri Bhunu and George Chiweshe ordered both parties to file their heads by July 26.
