War Vets regroup as Cde Bombshell Geza’s team ‘bounces back’, vows to give Zimbabweans a signal (WATCH VIDEO)

Harare – A faction of war veterans who have publicly called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation say they remain committed to their plans for mass protests, despite being forced into hiding.

The group, led by the now-wanted Blessed Geza, has scattered after police declared Geza a wanted man for the crimes of undermining the authority of the president and incitement to commit public violence.

Speaking from an undisclosed location in a video released on Sunday night, the group’s spokesman, Knox Chivero, claimed that Mnangagwa had deployed “death squads” with instructions to kill them.

Chivero alleged that these hit squads, specially trained in Belarus, have been tasked with hunting them down.

Despite the threats, Chivero insisted that the group would not be rushed into action, invoking a Shona idiom which literally means “running is not arriving.” He said the decision on the national shutdown would be carefully considered.

“Let me assure you that the liberating signal from Cde Geza is coming, very soon,” Chivero stated. “As you will appreciate, this is a mammoth task because this is a people’s project, it’s not an individual’s project. Organisation and sufficient managerial competence to manage the public is essential. It means the planning and the execution and the management of the aftermath must be very meticulous so that we have the best results at minimal costs.”

In the video, Chivero spoke from a darkened room while sitting next to a window. He did not disclose his location and made no reference to Geza’s present whereabouts.

He maintained that the war veterans, who accuse Mnangagwa of economic mismanagement and seeking to establish a dynasty, did not want any bloodshed.

“A good soldier, a good commander is one who wins the war with minimal loss but the best commander is one who wins a war without firing a bullet. This is precisely the philosophy of managing mass organisations and mass demonstrations whilst you’re in the belly of the beast which has deployed its dogs of war, hit squads and ferret teams specially trained in Belarus to hit, not to arrest,” Chivero said.

He further claimed that the alleged hitmen sent to hunt them down had been secretly embedded within regular police units, including detectives from law and order and homicide.

“So you will appreciate what we are planning against and what we are fighting against. We are fighting against a vicious enemy who has no respect for human beings,” Chivero added. “Cde Geza was actually followed by 10 different units or assassins to shoot at first sight without the option of arrest and giving the reason that ‘he resisted arrest that’s why we shot him’.”

Geza, a member of the Zanu PF central committee, had previously appeared loyal to the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, the main body representing independence war fighters, until last month when he released videos demanding Mnangagwa’s resignation.

Geza’s group claims that a silent majority within the war veterans’ community supports their call for Mnangagwa to step down.

The push by Mnangagwa loyalists to scrap presidential term limits, which would allow him to remain in power beyond 2028 when his second and final term is due to end, has triggered sharp divisions within Zanu PF.

Supporters of Mnangagwa’s deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, who is also believed to harbour presidential ambitions, oppose the move. The opposition has also voiced strong objections.

Adding to the tensions, police last week arrested journalist Blessed Mhlanga on charges of inciting public violence for allegedly publishing videos of Geza on Alpha Media Holdings’ HStv. Mhlanga was denied bail by a court. The situation remains volatile as the war veterans’ group insists on their plans for mass protests, despite the alleged threats to their lives and the arrest of a journalist covering their activities.