Geza defiant as Mnangagwa returns

Former Zanu-PF member Blessed R. Geza has declared he will fight to reclaim his place within the ruling party despite news of his expulsion. Geza, a vocal critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's leadership, vowed to resist what he referred to as "Emmerson's machinations" and pledged to continue opposing Mnangagwa's efforts to extend his presidency until 2030.

In a statement issued on Monday, Geza expressed defiance, asserting, "I received information that I've been expelled from Zanu-PF yesterday. Well, I declare that I'm still Zanu-PF and remain Zanu-PF to the core. This is what I was waiting for - the real drama now will unfold against Emmerson's machinations. We'll occupy the State House against all odds."

Geza's bold comments come amid rising discontent within the Zanu-PF party, particularly among war veterans, over President Mnangagwa's controversial bid to extend his presidency beyond the constitutional two-term limit. Mnangagwa's loyalists are pushing a 2030 agenda, which aims to amend the Constitution and postpone the 2028 presidential elections. Proponents argue that Mnangagwa's second term would not count as a full term if shortened, enabling him to stay in power until 2030.

However, the proposed constitutional amendment has sparked outrage among critics, including a faction of Zanu-PF war veterans, who see it as a direct challenge to Zimbabwe's 2013 Constitution. The Constitution's term limits were designed to prevent long-term presidential rule, a safeguard introduced after former President Robert Mugabe's decades-long leadership.

Geza's strong stance adds fuel to the growing tension within Zanu-PF, which is reportedly divided over Mnangagwa's continued rule. A faction aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is believed to be opposed to the extension of Mnangagwa's term, and there is speculation that some senior party members may covertly support the dissenting war veterans.

At a Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting last Saturday, the party's national political commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha, dismissed calls for a referendum on the 2030 agenda. Machacha insisted that the resolution to extend Mnangagwa's term, which was adopted at the 21st Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference in Bulawayo, was already in the process of being implemented.

"There is no going back in implementing the resolution," Machacha said. "Those opposed to the move should have raised their concerns during party meetings."

As tensions within the ruling party continue to rise, Geza's comments and the broader dispute over the 2030 agenda signal a deepening rift that may shape Zimbabwe's political landscape in the months ahead.