By Munacho Gwamanda- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies are pushing for the expulsion of renegade war veteran and Zanu-PF Central Committee member Blessed Geza, accusing him of undermining the party leadership.
Geza, a key ally of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, has emerged as one of the few within Zanu-PF openly challenging Mnangagwa’s push to extend his rule beyond the agreed two terms.
His stance has put him on a collision course with Mnangagwa’s loyalists, who now seek to silence him through expulsion.
At the heart of the fallout is the unresolved power deal struck between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga following the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe.
At the time, the agreement was that Mnangagwa would serve two terms and then hand over power to Chiwenga.
However, as Mnangagwa consolidates his grip on power, his camp is now working to extend his term beyond the constitutional limit, effectively sidelining Chiwenga.
This growing rift has fueled tensions within Zanu-PF, with war veterans and other party factions aligning themselves on either side of the divide.
Geza, representing the disgruntled war veterans, has taken a bold stand, arguing that Mnangagwa must honor the initial power-sharing agreement and step aside for Chiwenga.
In Mashonaland West, the recommendation to expel Geza was made at a meeting held at North Court in Zvimba East Constituency, where thousands of party supporters gathered, from grassroots members to senior officials.
During the meeting, Zanu-PF Politburo member and Minister of Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi led the calls for Geza’s removal, accusing him of abusing his position in the party to challenge Mnangagwa’sauthority.
“Individuals are allowed to air their grievances democratically, but using the party’s name to attack our leadership is unacceptable,” Ziyambi said. “The attack on President Mnangagwa shows that Geza does not respect the party’sconstitution, which requires members to be loyal to the leadership.”
He further warned that Geza’s actions would not be tolerated and insisted that anyone who wished to challenge Mnangagwa should wait until the party’s elective congress in 2027.
Geza’s refusal to support Mnangagwa’s extended rule has deepened existing factional battles within Zanu-PF.
His absence from crucial party meetings, including the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) and Central Committee sessions, has been interpreted as defiance.
Provincial chairperson Mary Mliswa-Chikoka described his stance as treasonous and insisted that Mashonaland West province was fully behind Mnangagwa.
“If Geza wants to attack our President, he should leave Zanu-PF and oppose him from outside. He does not represent the voice of Mashonaland West,” she said.
Zanu-PF’s Women’s League and Youth League also echoed the calls for Geza’s expulsion, with Provincial Youth Chairperson Tapiwa Masenda warning that the party’s vanguard would not tolerate any opposition to Mnangagwa’sleadership.
Mnangagwa’s continued snubbing of Chiwenga and his camp signals a clear intention to eliminate any remaining threats to his leadership within Zanu-PF.
The move against Geza is just one example of a broader strategy to neutralize opposition within the party, ensuring that Mnangagwa remains unchallenged.