By A Correspondent | ZimEye | The ruling ZANU PF party has issued a scathing statement against Runesu Geza, accusing him of treasonous and reckless utterances that violate party discipline. In a press release signed by Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, the party’s spokesperson, ZANU PF declared that its disciplinary organs are handling the matter to ensure it is swiftly resolved.
The statement comes amid escalating internal tensions within ZANU PF, particularly concerning Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s future in the party. Sources within the ruling party indicate that Geza’s remarks were in support of Chiwenga, further intensifying the power struggle between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy.
The ZANU PF Department of Information reassured party supporters of the rank and file’s loyalty to Mnangagwa, insisting that the implementation of Resolution #1 of the October 2024 Bulawayo Conference remains in full effect under the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe.
This development follows a day of dramatic political maneuvers, with Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi denying allegations that he advised Mnangagwa to fire Chiwenga while also dismissing reports that he orchestrated threats against the Vice President using coded language about “crocodile milk” (poison).
Ziyambi’s Denials and a Video Evidence Confrontation
Speaking exclusively to ZimEye at around 8:00 PM, Minister Ziyambi initially denied involvement in moves to push Chiwenga out of the ruling party. However, when confronted with a full-color video clip showing an official ZANU PF meeting where these threats were issued, his stance shifted.
• “It’s not a crime, but it’s criminal to lie about what was never discussed,” Ziyambi stated, referencing his own advice to Mnangagwa to appear unaware of the constitutional amendment plot.
• When asked if the amendment was designed to push out Chiwenga, he responded dismissively: “From where? Congress elects a successor. Yati yagara here? [Has Congress sat yet?]”
• Pressed further on whether Mnangagwa intended to extend his rule beyond 2028, Ziyambi asked: “Who said he (Chiwenga) cannot be elected in 2030?”
When presented with evidence that Mashonaland West ZANU PF structures were openly singing songs calling for Chiwenga to be “fed crocodile milk”, Ziyambi initially denied knowledge of such threats. But after being shown a video of a ZANU PF provincial chairperson making these declarations in an official meeting, he abruptly ended the conversation and sped off at 8:30 PM.
Political Fallout and Rising Tensions
This latest internal purge suggests that Mnangagwa’s camp is moving aggressively to neutralize pro-Chiwenga voices within the party. The public censure of Runesu Geza is widely seen as part of a broader strategy to silence dissenters and consolidate Mnangagwa’s grip on power amid speculation of a third-term bid in 2028.
ZANU PF’s decision to fire back at Geza comes as war veterans and elements within the military grow increasingly restless over Mnangagwa’s alleged attempts to violate the agreement between “Soko naShumba” (the Crocodile and the Lion), which was the power-sharing pact between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga in 2017.
With the 2028 elections looming, tensions within ZANU PF are at an all-time high, and Mnangagwa’s succession battle is far from settled.
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