By A Correspondent
In a heated exchange this week, Paul Tungwarara, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidential investment advisor, lashed out at war veteran Blessed Geza and his supporters, defending the President’s leadership and dismissing their online criticism as ineffective.
Tungwarara’s comments come amid rising discontent within certain factions of the Zimbabwean political landscape, with protests and calls for the President’s resignation growing louder.
Tungwarara, speaking to reporters earlier this week, vehemently asserted that President Mnangagwa was delivering on his promises, contrary to the claims made by critics like Geza. “We are walking the talk while some are busy making noise on social media,” Tungwarara said. He accused Geza and others of relying on digital platforms to undermine the President’s efforts, rather than engaging in meaningful, real-world change.
“They are good at using WhatsApp and online activism to criticize President Mnangagwa, who is busy working on the ground to improve people’s lives,” Tungwarara added.
His comments reflect the growing frustration within Zanu PF over the persistent online activism and the criticism that has surfaced in recent months, especially as some of the party’s heavyweights struggle to manage the rising protests.
Meanwhile, Blessed Geza, a prominent war veteran, has been vocal in his criticism of Mnangagwa’s leadership. Just days before Tungwarara’s comments, Geza made a public call for President Mnangagwa to resign, citing the government’s failure to deliver on its promises and address the country’s economic challenges. Geza accused the President of not fulfilling his obligations to the people of Zimbabwe, arguing that his continued rule is detrimental to the nation’s future.
“Mnangagwa has failed; he must resign,” Geza stated in his address to the nation. The call has amplified tensions within the political elite, particularly as protests have intensified both in Zimbabwe and among the Zimbabwean diaspora in South Africa, where Geza has been active.
The exchange between Tungwarara and Geza is a microcosm of the mounting internal pressure within the ruling Zanu PF party. As protests over economic issues and governance grow, heavyweights within the party are facing increasing difficulty in balancing their allegiance to the President with the rising dissatisfaction among citizens.
While Tungwarara defends Mnangagwa’s administration, the political climate suggests that divisions within Zanu PF are becoming harder to ignore, and the calls for reform, or even resignation, are likely to escalate in the coming months.