HARARE – Emmerson Mnangagwa’s days as president are numbered, former Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has claimed.
The ex-local government minister who self-exiled in South Africa after the collapse of Robert Mugabe’s government in a 2017 military coup says the Zanu PF leader has lost a key constituency from which he cannot recover – the war veterans.
“Once those war veterans say your job is done, that’s the end. He’s hanging around, but the truth of the matter is he’s gone. The most critical branch in Zanu PF is that thing called the war veterans,” Kasukuwere said in an interview with HStv released on Tuesday.
Kasukuwere spoke as a group of outspoken war veterans revealed plans for a nationwide shutdown to force Mnangagwa to step down.
The group is led by Blessed Geza, who denies that they are a stalking horse for Mnangagwa’s ambitious deputy, retired army general Constantino Chiwenga. Police said Wednesday that Geza was wanted on three charges – incitement to commit public violence, undermining the authority of the president and allegedly selling three vehicles without the owner’s consent.
“We have called upon Mnangagwa to step down and immediately, but he ignored. The people are going to force him to step down in line with the provisions of the constitution. Mnangagwa must just go,” Geza said on Tuesday as he ratcheted up his rhetoric which has garnered him national attention.
Geza, until recently a member of Zanu PF’s central committee before his suspension, said their plan was to mobilise all Zimbabweans to reject Mnangagwa.
Zimbabweans are wary of jumping into Zanu PF factional fights after they backed the military coup against Mugabe, only for the party to regroup and continue its ruinous rule to the exclusion of the opposition.
Geza says that mistake will not be repeated, without disclosing further details.
He said: “We have put mechanisms to make sure the revolution will not be hijacked again. All stakeholders from various parties and civic groups will be consulted on every step we take.
“We want to liberate all, so this should never be viewed as a Zanu PF internal fight. It should never be converted into such.”
Geza did not say when the shutdown would take place, only saying “soon.”
“We’re going to call for action soon. Stock up in preparation for a national shutdown as we march to a free Zimbabwe. Fellow Zimbabweans get ready for action, be ready for action once you receive the signal,” he said.
A strong push by Mnangagwa’s supporters to extend his term beyond 2028, when his second and final term is due to end, has ignited a firestorm across the country including inside his Zanu PF party.
Such an extension, which lawyers say is almost improbable as it would require at least two public referendums, would almost definitely end Chiwenga’s dream of becoming president. His supporters are now pushing
