By Munacho Gwamanda–Courageous and outspoken war veteran Blessed “Bombshell” Runesu Geza has once again emerged as a bold voice of resistance, calling for renewed nationwide protests to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa out of office.
Geza—who successfully mobilised a nationwide shutdown last month—is now rallying Zimbabweans to stay home on 22 and 23 April 2025, urging them to paralyse the country in a powerful yet peaceful show of defiance.
“On Tuesday and Wednesday, the 22nd and 23rd of April, everyone must stay home. We must shut down Zimbabwe completely,” Geza declared in a viral online broadcast.
“This is to send a strong message to Mnangagwa and his zvigananda. Shops and industries will not open. Kombis will be parked. The police will not teargas you—but if they ever come to you, you have the right to defend yourselves.”
In a country where public demonstrations are effectively banned and civil liberties are under siege, Geza says stay-aways have become one of the last tools citizens can use to resist authoritarian rule.
“Mnangagwa has captured the judiciary and suspended Parliament at will. Zimbabwe is now one of the few countries in the world where the right to protest no longer exists. But we’ve discovered that staying at home is one of the few powerful tools left.”
Despite a national warrant for his arrest—on charges ranging from theft and inciting violence to “undermining the authority of the President”—Geza remains defiant, operating underground and communicating with the public through social media. His rising popularity, especially among unemployed youth and disillusioned war veterans, has rattled the ruling elite.
Geza’s call for action comes as public anger over Mnangagwa’s failed leadership continues to mount.
After taking power through a military coup in 2017, Mnangagwa promised a “Second Republic” and a break from the Mugabe era.
But more than seven years later, the hopes of reform have given way to deepening crisis.
Zimbabwe’s economy remains in freefall.
Inflation is out of control, the Zimbabwean dollar continues to tumble, and basic goods are unaffordable for most citizens.
Salaries of public servants are eroded within days, leaving families to survive on scraps.
Widespread corruption scandals—including the looting of COVID-19 funds, rampant gold smuggling, and dodgy procurement deals—have gone unpunished, with many of the culprits reportedly linked to Mnangagwa’s inner circle.
Meanwhile, journalists, opposition leaders, and human rights defenders face constant harassment, arrest, or worse.
Mnangagwa has been accused of systematically weakening institutions to entrench his power. Parliament is routinely sidelined.
The judiciary is stacked with loyalists. Promised electoral reforms never came. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) remains widely discredited after overseeing sham elections marred by irregularities and intimidation.
Adding to Mnangagwa’s woes is the growing disunity within ZANU PF. Behind his strongman image, the ruling party is in turmoil.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga—who led the 2017 coup—is said to be quietly building his own power base within the military and party structures.
Factionalism is deepening, pitting Mnangagwa loyalists against the “Chiwenga camp” in a fierce battle for succession ahead of the next party congress.
Recent incidents, like a state media advert that mistakenly read “Rest in Peace Mnangagwa,” have fueled speculation about internal sabotage and power struggles.
During his 18 April Independence Day speech in Gokwe, Mnangagwa issued a thinly veiled threat against activists using social media to “incite unrest”—a clear swipe at Geza and his growing influence online.
But Geza remains undeterred.
“I’m pleading with you to stay home. I know it’s hard—we’re living from hand to mouth. But this is our only hope to make Mnangagwa hear us. We are staying away to force him to step down.”