Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court has rejected independent presidential election candidate Saviour Kasukuwere’s appeal for direct access to challenge his exclusion from the 23 August election on constitutional grounds by the High Court, which was reinforced up by the Supreme Court.
Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza delivered the decision on Monday evening at the Harare High Court:
“On a consideration of the submission made before us it seems the first issue is whether the application is properly before this court.
“The applicant moves for the setting aside of the whole judgment of the Supreme Court… this relief is ordinarily available on appeal.
“Apart from attacking the correctness of the decision of the court, the applicant did not attack the Supreme Court on how it handled the matter in terms of the rules of court.
“The court finds that the application being a disguised appeal is not properly before the court. The application be and is hereby dismissed with no order as to costs”.
Does the Apex court’s decision mean Kasukuwere will not be running for president in the upcoming elections?
There is another bleating ignorance; you don’t know this is the apex Court???? Dununu!!!!!!! https://t.co/BQw4lZt3IU
— Tinoedza Zvimwe (@Tinoedzazvimwe1) August 8, 2023
Kasukuwere says there is still room for him to appeal the Supreme court judgement;
We have noted the judgement and interestingly it opens new avenues for us to appeal the SC judgement and luckily we are still within time.
As long as the court rooms are open, it’s game on until the Fat lady sings.
Prof Wel Ncube, Adv Method Ndhlovu, Adv Mutero and team well done. Battles are lost but not the WAR. We fight on.
We have noted the judgement and interestingly it opens new avenues for us to appeal the SC judgement and luckily we are still within time.
As long as the court rooms are open, it’s game on until the Fat lady sings.
Prof Wel Ncube, Adv Method Ndhlovu, Adv Mutero and team well…— Saviour Kasukuwere (@Hon_Kasukuwere) August 8, 2023
The courts’ rejection of Mr Kasukuwere’s nomination has been strongly criticised, and not just by his supporters. It has even been alleged that the rulings against him are part of a campaign by the Government to disqualify opposition candidates, a campaign in which the courts are complicit.
