Chantel Takudzwa Zambukira
Political Reporter
In a bizarre political turn of events, the self-exiled former Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere has announced his interests in contesting for presidency in the upcoming elections.
The self-exiled former ZANU-PF commissar is one of the Generation 40 (G40) members who ran away from the country to seek refugee in other countries after the 2017 coup d’etat.
After settling in Johannesburg, South Africa, Kasukuwere came back in the country briefly in 2018 where he was arraigned before the courts for corruption allegedly illegally allocating land to former first Lady, Grace Mugabe’s sister, Shuvai Junior Gumbochuma during Robert Mugabe era.
The aspiring “president”, in a Twit to renowned South African reporter, Sophie Mokwena, said that he is ‘not afraid of jail and neither does he fear death’, but his worst fear is for the future of Zimbabwe if nothing is done.
He went on to explain that there is still time for him to contest since President Emerson Mnangagwa has announced the 23rd of August as the day of elections and by the 21st of June all parties must have registered their candidates with the nomination Court.
Many have been perplexed by the turn of events as they are wondering whether the former ZANU-PF commissar is going to form his own party or not. They have been having unanswered questions about how he is going to campaign considering that he has not been in the country for some time.
“Since making the decision to run for President, a lot of positive developments have taken place requiring that we revise our overall plan,” Kasukuwere is quoted to have said.
“I read somewhere Vice President Chiwenga saying that we should not deny each other political space merely because we differ on ideas and views. He spoke like a liberator. Let the best ideas win. I am in a unique position that I have worked with those in ZANU-PF and have also now got an appreciation of the opposition to understand where they are coming from. We want to straddle these two competing positions.”
Considering that Kasukuwere has just come in competing with the already active political parties, Emerson Mnangagwa led ZANU-PF and the Nelson Chamisa led CCC which has been at the forefront in campaigning for this year’s votes, it can be a huddle for him to win the race since he does not have a political party he represents.
Kasukuwere’s success hinges on how much ZANU-PF members are going to embrace his candidature. There are some who believe that he can change the political landscape of the country.
The political scene in Zimbabwe suddenly has interesting news to write home about.
Previously it was perceived that the Presidential election was a two man horse