By Munacho Gwamanda-President Emmerson Mnangagwa was on Monday forced to address the press amid intensifying power struggles within Zanu PF, as he seeks to amend the constitution to allow himself a third term—an effort that has sparked widespread opposition within his party.
Mnangagwa summoned reporters to State House following a series of public addresses by his ally, the outspoken Zanu PF Central Committee member and war veteran, Blessed Geza.
Geza has now directly challenged Mnangagwa’s authority, even hinting at the possibility of a coup should the president continue allowing his loyalists to push the narrative that he will rule beyond 2028.
In his press briefing, Mnangagwa sought to downplay the internal discord, repeating that he would step down at the end of his constitutional term in 2028.
However, he acknowledged that serious factionalism was threatening the party’s stability, attributing the divisions to”people within Zanu PF who are not Zanu PF.”
“At the end of my two terms, the party will have elections and choose a new leader,” he said, attempting to quell rising tensions.
Geza, who has become one of the ruling party’s most vocal internal critics, has emerged as a significant thorn in Mnangagwa’s side, openly questioning his leadership and grip on power.
In recent months, he has escalated his attacks, publicly demanding Mnangagwa’s resignation.
Geza has accused Mnangagwa of betraying the ideals of the liberation struggle, mismanaging the country, and using state institutions to suppress dissent within Zanu PF.
His latest remarks come amid growing factionalism in the ruling party, with tensions escalating between Mnangagwa’sloyalists and those sympathetic to his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
On Sunday, Geza dismissed speculation that he had been arrested or gone into hiding, instead suggesting that his next move was imminent.
“We are ready to bring change, and no amount of threats and lies will derail the struggle. The signal is coming,” hedeclared.
Speaking to ZimEye on Saturday, Geza laughed off reports that he was on the run from Mnangagwa’s security forces.
“Is this how a person who is on the run appears?” he quipped. He further suggested that it was Mnangagwa’s camp thatwas feeling the pressure. “They are the ones preparing to set off,” he said ominously.
Pressed on his next steps, Geza hinted at an imminent development.
“Any time from now, I think in the next two days… do not be alarmed at all. We are on top of the situation, 100 percent,” he said, implying a major announcement or action from his movement.
The factional battles within Zanu PF trace back to the 2017 military coup that ousted long-time leader Robert Mugabe. Mnangagwa, with the crucial backing of Chiwenga and the military, ascended to power.
However, cracks between the two men soon began to show, as Mnangagwa sought to consolidate power at the expense of his deputy and the military elite.
Chiwenga, a former army general who played a pivotal role in installing Mnangagwa, has long harbored presidential ambitions.
His faction—comprising military-aligned officials and war veterans—has been quietly pushing back against Mnangagwa’s attempts to entrench his rule beyond 2028.
Geza’s outspoken defiance has placed him at the center of this struggle, effectively serving as the face of the anti-Mnangagwa resistance within Zanu PF.