A Zimbabwe court has blocked an ally of former president Robert Mugabe from running in next month's election, where he would have challenged President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Saviour Kasukuwere, 52, a former cabinet minister and ex-senior official of the ruling Zanu-PF, left the country when Mugabe was removed from office through a military-backed coup in 2017.
Planning to return from neighbouring South Africa and stand as an independent, he was one of 11 candidates whose nomination papers were accepted by the electoral commission for the August 23 polls.
The High Court in Harare has, however, found "the nomination was in violation of the constitutional provisions relating to the qualifications of a presidential candidate", his election agent Jacqueline Sande told AFP on Wednesday.
Away for over 18 months
The ruling came after a Zimbabwean voter argued that Kasukuwere did not qualify because he had been residing outside the country for more than 18 months.
The court set aside Kasukuwere's nomination and ordered the electoral commission not to include his name on the ballot paper.
"That judgement is wrong and is flawed," the agent said, adding an appeal has been filed.
Critics have accused the government of using the courts to target opposition politicians as elections loom.
A magistrate's court at the weekend upheld a police ban of a much-anticipated pre-election and manifesto launch rally by the largest opposition group, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
The CCC said at least a dozen of their rallies were barred in the past week as the country heads to crunch presidential and legislative polls.
