Harare and other key cities in Zimbabwe experienced unusual quietness on Monday, as calls for protests by a splinter group within the ruling ZANU-PF party drew little attention. The anticipated rallies, organized by a faction of veterans from Zimbabwe’s liberation war in the 1970s, did not see the expected turnout, as schools and businesses remained closed.
Authorities had dismissed the protest call and advised citizens to continue with their daily activities. In the capital, increased security measures were noticeable, and police intervened to disperse a small assembly near the central business district. This faction opposes the push by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s backers to continue his presidency past 2028, which marks the end of his second official term.
The faction’s leader, Blessed Geza, has been vocal on YouTube, initiating a movement for an “uprising” against Mnangagwa. Geza’s group supports Constantino Chiwenga, a deputy to the president, as a replacement candidate. Chiwenga, well-known for his leading role in the coup that unseated Robert Mugabe when he was a high-ranking military official, has not stated his position regarding Mnangagwa’s ambitions to extend his presidency or the protest activities.
Blessed Geza, who also goes by the name Comrade Bombshell, was relatively unknown until he began advocating for Mnangagwa’s resignation in favor of Chiwenga. His YouTube broadcasts have gained significant attention, drawing tens of thousands of viewers. Authorities accuse him of treason and are actively searching for him, while ZANU-PF has ousted him from the party.
Political analyst Eldred Masunungure, previously a politics academic at the University of Zimbabwe, remarked, “Geza has become a figurehead for war veterans who are disillusioned with Mnangagwa. Although he is attempting to fill the gap left by a feeble opposition, his efforts might encounter challenges since he is perceived as part of ZANU-PF, suggesting an internal struggle among former allies.”
Mnangagwa, once a close associate of Mugabe, remains under U.S. sanctions. After seizing power in a widely supported coup in 2017, he vowed to institute democratic reforms. However, critics, including opposition groups and international human rights organizations, accuse the 82-year-old leader of exhibiting authoritarian tendencies similar to those of Mugabe. Mnangagwa refutes these claims, asserting that his administration has enhanced the political climate and the state of human rights in Zimbabwe.