Harare High Court was a beehive of activity today as aspiring presidential candidates filed their nomination papers to participate in the August 23 elections.
Incumbent, President Emmerson Mnangagwa filed his nomination papers, setting the stage for another bruising battle with now Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa.
In 2018, Chamisa contested under the MDC Alliance banner.
Accompanied by deputy President Constantino Chiwenga and Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Mnangagwa arrived at the Harare High Court, where he filed his nomination papers as the Zanu PF presidential candidate.
“I felt I should respect the process, so I came over here to honour the work that they are doing and to show that I submit myself to the Constitutional process. I am told that my papers have gone through very well. So far, I understand there are so many citizens who are standing for Presidential post, some have been cleared and some are in the process of being cleared.
“So far, I am told countrywide the process went very well I am happy that Zimbabweans now are a mature democracy. This process is so peaceful, this is what we want and we should continue now, during the campaigning, elections and post-election this is the process we want for a mature democracy,” said Mnangagwa.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa’s re-election bid will not go unchallenged, as former Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere’s lawyer, Jacqueline Sande, also filed nomination papers on behalf of her client.
According to Sande, Kasukuwere, who was once a prominent member of Zanu PF but later ousted from Government following a military coup in 2017 will soon be hitting the ground campaigning.
“We have managed to successfully file the nomination papers on behalf of our clients and thereafter we should wait to hear from Saviour Kasukuwere himself as to the roll out plan for his campaign but it should be kick starting anytime soon. The nomination itself has been accepted we have completed it, we have filed it successfully as of now.
“His whereabouts I cannot divulge but he is going to be available to campaign for himself because as you know when you are Presidential candidate you have to campaign for yourself, you need to hit the ground running and meet the electorate and sell them your ideology, proposals and get them to vote for you. He is not going to campaign outside the country, he is going to be around,” said Sande
She added “There are no legal reasons that could affect his campaign and he is going to be campaigning.”
Among those who filed their nomination papers for presidency were Professor Lovemore Madhuku (NCA), MDC leader Douglas Mwonzora, Linda Masarira (LEAD) and little-known Trust Chikohora of the Coalition for Peace and Development.
