HARARE – Days after shutting down the country with a call for protests against the government, war veteran Blessed Geza on Wednesday claimed there was support from lawmakers to impeach President Emmerson Mnangagwa due to what he claimed was the Zanu PF leader’s mental incapacity.

Geza claimed Mnangagwa, 82, had recently been diagnosed with “vascular dementia” and his allies, among them controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, had seized on the condition to assign themselves some of his duties.

The sensational claims by Geza are not new, having previously been made by exiled former cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba said of Kasukuwere at the time: “Where did he get his medical degree?”

Geza, who uses YouTube for his broadcasts, had called mass protests on March 31 to remove Mnangagwa, but many Zimbabweans frightened about potential clashes between protesters and security forces stayed home, leaving urban centres deserted.

Wanted by police for treason, Geza has claimed victory over the stay-away and continues to sell the idea that Mnangagwa can be ousted before his term expires in 2028, this time through an impeachment process in parliament.

“We’re impeaching Emmerson Mnangagwa on the grounds that he is no longer mentally fit to lead the country,” Geza claimed in the YouTube video in which he appeared in military fatigues.

“Mnangagwa is suffering from vascular dementia. We got copies of these medical results. His doctors have already told him and his family is aware…”

Geza claimed corrupt businessmen who are allies of the president were making him sign documents “to loot the country.”

So bad is the dementia, Geza claimed, the president recently failed to recognise energy minister July Moyo.

Geza’s capacity to organise a rebellion against Mnangagwa from parliament remains highly questionable.

Zimbabwe’s constitution allows for a three-stage impeachment process. The Senate and the National Assembly must meet in a joint sitting and resolve, by a simple majority of their total membership, that the president should be removed from office on any one or more of four grounds including “inability to perform his duties because of physical or mental incapacity.”

Once a resolution has been passed, Parliament’s Committee on Standing Rules and Orders must appoint a nine-member committee of senators and members of the National Assembly to investigate the removal of the president.

Although section 97 of the constitution does not say so, the committee would have to give the president a full opportunity to respond to the allegations against him – he has a right to a fair hearing under section 69 of the constitution.

If the committee recommends that the president should be removed from office, the Senate and National Assembly must meet, again in joint session, to deliberate the recommendation, and if in that joint session they resolve by a two-thirds majority of their total membership to adopt the recommendation then the president immediately ceases to hold office.

Many doubt if Geza, until recently a member of the Zanu PF central committee before he was expelled, has enough backing in both houses.

Mnangagwa’s impeachment would open the path for one of his deputies between Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi – depending on who was last to act as president – to assume the presidency for a maximum 90 days before new elections are called.

Poor health has restricted Mohadi’s public appearances and Chiwenga – who has publicly been backed by Geza – would likely benefit from Mnangagwa’s removal.

Chiwenga, who led a coup against former president Robert Mugabe when he was still a general in the military, has not commented on Geza’s push to oust Mnangagwa.