Geza apologizes to opposition for past atrocities

In a move that has raised eyebrows, expelled Zanu-PF Central Committee member Blessed Geza has publicly issued a grovelling apology to opposition members for his involvement in brutal operations that targeted opposition supporters since the turn of the millennium. This apology comes in the wake of his expulsion from the ruling party and ahead of the planned 31 March 2025 protest against President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government.

Geza, who was part of the notorious group of Zanu-PF militants responsible for widespread human rights violations against opposition supporters, expressed deep regret for the role he played in the torture, maiming, abduction, and killings that occurred in the aftermath of the Movement for Democratic Change's (MDC) formation in 1999. These violations peaked in 2008, when the country witnessed some of the most brutal assaults by Zanu-PF militia, war veterans, and youth groups on MDC supporters during the election period.

In a statement that some may view with skepticism, Geza, a former war veteran, has now sought forgiveness for his past actions. He admitted to being complicit in these violent acts, carried out in collaboration with fellow comrades, and acknowledged the grave harm caused to Zimbabweans who had dared to oppose the government.

"We are sorry as war veterans. We have let you down. We were being used to assault members of the opposition because we were blinded," Geza said, reflecting on the atrocities committed under the guise of protecting the party. He went on to attribute his actions to "the fog of war," adding that the ongoing human rights violations, widespread corruption, and economic mismanagement had led the younger generation to view war veterans with contempt.

The apology has been framed by many as a self-serving gesture, designed to win favor with opposition members as the country gears up for the planned protest against Mnangagwa's regime in 2025. Geza, acknowledging that the younger generation has lost faith in the older generation of liberation war heroes, expressed disappointment at the current state of affairs in Zimbabwe.

"We are now a laughing stock. Young people in this country are telling us as war veterans to return the country into the hands of former colonists. This is being caused by these criminals that we are not reprimanding," he added, seemingly trying to distance himself from the ongoing challenges faced by Zimbabwe under Zanu-PF rule.

Geza's apology is likely to be met with mixed reactions. For some, it will be seen as a long-overdue act of contrition, while others will view it as a tactical maneuver designed to gain sympathy and possibly curry favor with opposition leaders ahead of the 2025 protest.

It has become somewhat of a recurring pattern for former Zanu-PF members to express remorse to the opposition after falling out of favor with the ruling party. The sincerity of these apologies remains a topic of debate, as many question the motivations behind such public statements.

As the nation inches closer to the planned protests and as tensions within Zanu-PF continue to mount, Geza's apology may serve as just one of many shifting allegiances in Zimbabwe's complex political landscape.