SELF-EXILED former Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s supporters say they will continue campaigning despite the State having indicated that their leader has pending allegations of corruption and abuse of power. Kasukuwere, who has been in self-imposed exile since the 2017 coup that ousted the late former President Robert Mugabe, could miss this year’s presidential race if he is not cleared by the police and Judiciary.
High Court judge Justice David Mangota on Friday reserved judgment in a case lawyer Lovedale Mangwana is seeking to bar Kasukuwere from contesting in the August 23 elections on legal grounds. Kasukuwere’s chief election agent and lawyer, Jacqueline Sande told NewsDay yesterday that the party was campaigning in his absence.
“The campaigns have been ongoing in line with the groups of 40 cascading structures announced by the chairman and national convener, Godfrey Tsenengamu,” said Sande. “The response has been very positive.
“In the meantime, the campaign structures are busy on the ground mobilising the generality of Zimbabweans to rally behind president Kasukuwere and vote for him on August 23, 2023 and the response we have had so far has been overwhelming. We would like to acknowledge and thank all Zimbabweans for their love and support.”
She said Kasukuwere would arrive in the country as soon as his security and logistical modalities were complete.
“The president is not yet in the country. The security and logistical modalities for his arrival are almost complete and the chairperson Walter Mzembi will be making an announcement on the president’s imminent arrival in due course,” she said.
Kasukuwere is set to lock horns in the August 23 elections, as an independent presidential candidate, with 10 other candidates, among them the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zanu PF) and main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change leader, Nelson Chamisa.
Last week, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said Kasukuwere was aware of his pending cases, hence his delay in coming to Zimbabwe to launch his presidential campaign.
“We are in the midst of our campaign and Kasukuwere is a non-existent candidate. I repeat he is a non-existent candidate. There are many things he knows he has done and is a thug and the Zimbabwe intelligence services have many things to question him about,” Mutsvangwa said.
Source Newsday
