The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by independent presidential candidate Saviour Kasukuwere against the High Court’s decision to remove him from the ballot.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Antonia Guvava, Chinembiri Bhunu, and Felistus Chatukuta heard arguments from both parties on Thursday before reserving judgment.
In their ruling, the judges said they had carefully considered the evidence and oral submissions by both counsels and were of the view that the appeal lacked merit.
“The appeal be and is hereby dismissed with no order as to costs,” Justice Chatukuta said.
Kasukuwere has vowed to take “the next steps” after the Supreme Court blow.
In a terse tweet on Thursday, Kasukuwere said he was “disappointed” with the ruling, but would keep the nation informed of his next moves.
“We are now considering our next steps and will keep the nation informed,” he said.
Kasukuwere had appealed the High Court ruling on the grounds that he had been a registered voter at the time of his nomination, and had not been outside the country for more than 18 months.
However, the Supreme Court judges found that Kasukuwere had not provided sufficient evidence to support his claim that he had been a registered voter.
They also found that the High Court had not erred in its interpretation of the law and that Kasukuwere had not been denied a fair hearing.
The ruling is a major blow to Kasukuwere’s presidential ambitions and means that he will not be able to participate in the upcoming elections.
Kasukuwere is a former cabinet minister who was expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF party in 2017 and had been seen as a potential contender for the presidency.
However, the Supreme Court ruling has effectively ended his chances of running for office.
