CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) President Nelson Chamisa has bemoaned the High Court's move to bar self-exiled former Cabinet Minister Saviour Kasukuwere from running for presidency ahead of the August 23 elections.

Kasukuwere has since challenged the ruling.

Chamisa who was speaking to hundreds of his supporters at Gweru's Mkoba Stadium said he had been hoping to defeat him and President Emmerson Mnangagwa at one go.

Launching his party's 2023 campaign ahead of general elections on August 23, Chamisa said he had actually hoped the two would unite to form one front against him.

The opposition leader was speaking after having recently rubbished Kasukuwere's intentions, arguing he was just one of many disgruntled factions within Zimbabwe's ruling party.

"I was very hurt by Mnangagwa's move to deny exiled Kasukuwere a chance to stand for President," said Chamisa.

"South African based Kasukuwere had thought of trying his luck only for Mnangagwa to deny him that opportunity.

"I wanted them to wipe both of them out, I wanted them to unite so that I could damage them as a united front, at one go.

"These are customers I was left with by late President Robert Mugabe, you all remember that Mugabe himselt voted for me in 2018.

"This was going to be enjoyable, two customers at once."

Having successfully filed his papers, Kasukuwere was barred from contesting on basis that he was not ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe for 18 months prior to his filing.

The necessity is a constitutional matter.

Kasukuwere had tried to detach himself from his former Zanu PF authority in recent campaigns, avoiding talk around the role he played as Political Commissar in gruesomely silencing or punishing dissent and opposition supporters.

He was later hounded out of Zimbabwe along other members of Zanu PF aligned to former First Lady Grace Mugabe, going by the name G40 at the height of a military assisted coup in 2017.

If Kasukuwere's Supreme Court application is upheld his name will be added onto Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's (ZEC) list of 10 presidential candidates.

Chamisa fancies his chance, building on to the 2018 election which he lost by a thread of hair.

Added Chamisa: "We want all council and parliamentary seats, we want a whitewash.

"This time I want to see how Mnangagwa will rig the election because I am ready, we are ready."