Harare – A significant faction of Zimbabwe’s war veterans issued a stark ultimatum to President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday, demanding his resignation for alleged constitutional violations and his failure to curb corruption.
Blessing Runesu Geza, a Zanu PF central committee member and prominent war veteran, led the charge, flanked by other senior veterans. He delivered a pointed message directly to the President: “It is clear to us that Mnangagwa has failed, he is not fit to run this country and his time to go is now. We ask him politely to let go, if he refuses to take heed of this advice, we have no option but to ask the people of Zimbabwe to deal with him in line with the Constitution.”
Geza’s statement represents a significant shift in the political landscape. War veterans, instrumental in the removal of the late Robert Mugabe, are expressing deep dissatisfaction with the efforts to prolong Mnangagwa’s presidency. He accused the President’s office of orchestrating a plan to maintain power, questioning the President’s claim to be a constitutionalist.
“How do you claim to be a constitutionalist and yet you host people at your farm to further these agendas? How do you claim not to be involved when your ministers appointed under your hand issue official statements from government in support of the illegal and dangerous 2030 agenda?” he questioned. “We as war veterans are against this 2030 agenda, we cannot disrespect the voice of 90% of those who voted yes towards term limits. No — we can’t allow it,” he emphatically stated.
“Emmerson Mnangagwa on assumption of power showed that he was a man who had learned nothing… instead of correcting the mistakes of Robert Mugabe, he went about proving to all of us that Mugabe was actually a saint,” Geza charged.
Mnangagwa had “systematically targeted and purged war veterans in various arms of government and replaced them with crooks.”
The president’s cabinet was stuffed with ministers “who either belong to his clan or are benefactors to his family through his childen,” Geza fumed.
He further alleged that those who supported Mnangagwa before Mugabe’s ouster have since been sidelined.
The criticism of Mnangagwa’s ministerial appointments highlighted the reappointment of Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry, a decision that has drawn considerable criticism. Mnangagwa himself defended the reappointment in 2023, stating, “When a minister is appointed, they report to the appointer. It is me who gets satisfied whether a minister is doing well or not. The fact that I’ve reappointed her means I’m satisfied.” This response, however, failed to appease the war veterans, who view it as further evidence of Mnangagwa’s disregard for public opinion.
Happison Nenji, a member of the Zanla High Command during the liberation struggle, echoed the sentiments of his fellow veterans. He stated, “We fought to ensure freedom and prosperity for our people, this is not what we are seeing at the moment, this country does not belong to a few individuals or the corrupt, it’s a nation for all and it must be respected and viewed as such.” Nenji’s statement underscores the war veterans’ belief that Mnangagwa’s actions violate both human dignity and constitutional freedoms.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, the war veterans also highlighted their own neglected welfare, claiming they have been reduced to destitutes. They feel sidelined and deprived of the benefits promised to them.
Exiled former Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, reacting to the press conference, tweeted: “Mgagao Declaration 3.”
The Mgagao Declaration was a communique written by young military officers at the main ZANLA training camp in Tanzania at the height of the liberation struggle in November 1975. It laid the foundation for the removal of Ndabaningi Sithole as leader of ZANU and the elevation of Robert Mugabe at a special congress at Chimoio two years later in 1977.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association secretary-general, Samuel Parirenyatwa, stated that the association had yet to formally discuss the ED2030 agenda, focusing instead on the welfare of its members. “We have not yet discussed that issue as an association. We are currently [seized] with matters associated with the welfare of our members,” he explained.
Attempts to obtain comment from Zanu PF and government officials proved unsuccessful. Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa directed all inquiries to Douglas Mahiya, the party secretary for War Veterans, who remained unavailable. Repeated attempts to reach Presidential spokesperson George Charamba and Information Minister Jenfan Muswere were also unsuccessful.
