Zimbabwe is on the edge as citizens brace for demonstrations being organised by people that are against the extension of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term of office beyond 2028 when he is officially supposed to retire.
Expelled Zanu PF central committee member Blessed “Bombshell” Geza, who is also a war veteran, has become the face of the resistance and has been calling for demonstrations that he hopes would push Mnangagwa out of power.
Geza, who is in hiding after police indicated that they wanted to arrest him for allegedly undermining the president, accuses those pushing for the Zanu PF leader to hang onto power until 2030 of abusing their proximity to power to loot the country’s resources.
Mnangagwa has on more than five occasions indicated that he does not want to stay beyond his two terms, but has not stopped his party and loyalists from pushing for the term extension.
As we have repeatedly warned, the 2030 campaign is not in the national interest and risks plunging the country into a political crisis.
The run-up to March 31 has somehow proven that the term extension agenda is divisive and could cause instability in the country.
This past week witnessed very disturbing incidents where four vehicles were torched in the early hours of Friday outside properties owned by Mutapa Investment Fund CEO John Mangudya, Zanu PF-linked businessmen Wicknell Chivayo and Kudakwashe Tagwirei as well as DA Motors.
The attacks that happned two days after Geza released a list that included Mangudya, Chivayo and Tagwirei, which he said was that of “criminals around the president.”
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On Saturday night, Geza’s house in Sanyati was also allegedly bombed by unknown assailants. The previous week unknown people had also vandalised the war veteran’s property.
Although police are still investigating the bombing incidents in Harare it would not be far-fetched to link them with the factional wars in Zanu PF triggered by the controversial 2030 agenda.
It is not too late for Zanu PF to abandon the ruinous agenda and focus on issues that matter to the people.
Zimbabwe is facing a myriad of economic problems that need a leadership that is focused to solve. Mnangagwa owes it to Zimbabweans to redirect his fractured party to focus on bread and butter issues instead of mindless power struggles.
Those pushing the 2030 agenda must revaluate their priorities and start putting the country first instead of pursuing selfish interests.
