Chiwenga's ally mobilises protests to oust Mnangagwa

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga's ally, Blessed Geza - the outspoken war veterans' leader and former Zanu-PF Central Committee member expelled from the ruling party in March - has called for mass protests on October 17 to demand President Emmerson Mnangagwa's removal from power.

Geza, expelled after publicly accusing Mnangagwa of corruption, incompetence, and state capture, urged Zimbabweans to "take to the streets" in Harare, saying the country has "suffered enough under looting and misrule." He accused the president of allowing a clique of businessmen - Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Wicknell Chivayo, and Pedzisayi 'Scott' Sakupwanya - to capture state institutions and plunder national resources.

His call comes amid an intensifying succession battle between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga ahead of Zanu-PF's crucial annual conference in Mutare (October 13–18), where delegates are expected to endorse a resolution extending Mnangagwa's tenure beyond the 2028 constitutional limit, potentially to 2030 or further.

The deepening feud between the two men - once coup allies - now threatens to destabilise both the ruling party and the country's fragile political order.

Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin'ono, who is viewed in some quarters as a Chiwenga sympathizer this week described the showdown as a "mortal succession battle", writing on X (formerly Twitter) that Mnangagwa has been "confidently and systematically moving his chess pieces against his vice president, showing no fear of miscalculation."

Chin'ono argued that Mnangagwa has "methodically purged anyone remotely associated with Chiwenga", adding that those still aligned to the general "will inevitably face the same fate unless Chiwenga acts decisively - assuming he still commands meaningful support within Zimbabwe's military."

Politically, Chin'ono said, "Mnangagwa has outmanoeuvred him so thoroughly that the only option left for Chiwenga would be to roll the tanks as he did in 2017, but then he was commander - today he is just a politician whose military influence is unknown."

According to Chin'ono, the downfall of Chiwenga would cement Mnangagwa's hold on power and "pave the way for the ascendance of Kudakwashe Tagwirei - Mnangagwa's handpicked successor positioned to protect his legacy of looting and obscene wealth."

He further suggested that Mnangagwa has "coup-proofed himself regionally and across sub-Saharan Africa", noting that Wicknell Chivayo's diplomatic travels to African state houses are part of a calculated effort to consolidate regional alliances.

Chin'ono warned that Zimbabwe now faces a "kill-or-be-killed moment" between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, with the general under pressure to act quickly - though "even then, success is far from certain."

Meanwhile, ordinary Zimbabweans remain trapped between elite power struggles and growing fears of violence. Chin'ono observed that Mnangagwa wields "the power of incumbency and vast wealth," while Chiwenga relies on "the people's frustrations and covert military backing."

Yet, he concluded, Mnangagwa's control of state machinery, patronage networks and regional backing makes him a formidable opponent - one whose removal would likely require "a dramatic, violent escalation."

As the Mutare conference approaches and Geza's protest date nears, Zimbabwe's political temperature continues to rise, with the ruling party's unity - and the nation's stability - hanging in the balance.