Former Mugabe aide in Kenya days after announcing his bid for Zimbabwe presidency

Former Zimbabwean minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, is running for the presidency in the upcoming polls. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Saviour Kasukuwere, a former aide of Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe has unveiled his plans of becoming the nation’s head in the upcoming General Election.

Kasukuwere, with a leadership experience spanning over two decades, has visited the country, a week after announcing his candidature.

The once youngest minister in Zimbabwe will face it out with President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is defending his seat on a ZANU PF ticket and Nelson Chamisa of the Change Coalition in the August 23 polls.

He will be running on an Independent ticket.

Speaking exclusively to Standard Digital on Monday, Kasuku Were says he has a strategy of five issues which he aims to improve the country’s economy.

He says his campaign is pegged on the 5Rs: Renewal, Reconciliation, Revival, Rebuilding, and Reforms. Top of his agenda is to revive the country’s dwindling economy, reunite the country, and reform major government bodies.

“The presidency is a huge responsibility. I have accepted the role with humility because the country requires safe hands to lift it out of the economic crisis we are facing. The country requires a safe pair of hands to rebuild,” Kasukuwere says.

Kasukuwere is in Kenya for a series of meetings with members of the business and political class ahead of polls in the Southern African country.

“We are currently a shame to the SADC region. We are dragging them down because our people are all over the SADC states. I want to change that by reviving the economy and stopping the outflow so we develop our country. It is a shame that we have become a convenient shop for known criminals and no accountability is visited on them,“

A few days ago, Zimbabwe police said they had two warrants of arrest outstanding for the South Africa-based presidential candidate and threatened to detain him once he arrives.

In his response Kasukuwere criticised the current regime, saying the arrests are political witch-hunts meant to discourage him from going for the top seat.

“I think he has weaponized institutions to protect himself. And that's unacceptable. He must also draw a limit he must have a limit to what he should do. He must respect the Constitution. He must respect the laws of our country. He must also respect the rights of other political players,” he told Ktnnews.

“It's wrong. And these are some of the issues that have made us stand up and say no, we must make us take a stand and challenge him. Because our country can't continue on this trajectory. We cannot allow him to take the whole country's free rights isn't personal property. The countries on private property. It belongs to all Zimbabweans,”

Kasukuwere served as a key person in the late Robert Mugabe’s government from 1998, until the day he was ousted, forcing him to go into exile.