Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
THE Zanu PF Mashonaland West Provincial War Veterans League has distanced itself from renegade former freedom fighter Cde Blessed Geza who attacked a resolution made by the party at the grassroots for President Mnangagwa’s term of office to be extended beyond 2028.
Cde Geza, who twice lost to sitting Sanyati Member of Parliament and Mines and Minerals Deputy Minister Dr Polite Kambamura for political posts, attacked President Mnangagwa in a televised interview with a local private online broadcaster.
Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial war veterans met on Saturday in Chinhoyi to deliberate on various issues, including their welfare and unfounded claims by Cde Geza.
League chairperson Cde Happison Muchechetere said Cde Geza was not part of the provincial league, neither was he a member of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA).
He argued that while Zanu PF was a democratic movement which gave its members room to air their grievances, Cde Geza failed to portray the qualities of a senior party member by ranting about President Mnangagwa without following due procedure.
“We never passed any resolution as the war veterans league in Mashonaland West for President Mnangagwa to resign. The only resolution that stands is that of our request as the people of Zimbabwe for President Mnangagwa to be in office beyond 2028.
“Cde Geza is neither a member of the league nor an association. In the Central Committee, he doesn’t represent the War Veterans, which means that his utterances were personal as they don’t represent our collective voices,” he said.
Cde Muchechetere added that Cde Geza was out of line, and his demands and threats to President Mnangagwa, who is the party’s leader and First Secretary, should not be taken lightly.
“In the party, we have ways of resolving contradictions, and we don’t use threats to resolve our issues. We have a disciplinary committee which deals with grievances, and Cde Geza knows this. As the War Veterans we strongly condemn his actions and utterances.”
Cde Geza is also accused of derailing the land tenure process whose resolution for beneficiaries to have title deeds existed since 1980.
“He is contradicting the War Veterans and calling us to desist from being part of the Land Committee. Does this mean he doesn’t want us to have title deeds to our land? Having title deeds is the closing chapter to the liberation struggle we fought,” Cde Muchechetere added.
League provincial spokesperson, Cde Antony Zunzanyika, said war veterans always seek to adhere to the constitution of the party.
“The issue which has become so topical by Cde Geza is one that was deliberated by the party from cell structures. Some people may dispute that but that’s a matter of personal opinion. The resolution was passed through to the national level and was presented at The People’s Conference. Whoever may have had a different opinion was free to express it before the conference in Bulawayo,” he said.
The War Veterans lauded President Mnangagwa for his people-centred schemes that have transformed lives from all walks of life.
His administration has empowered war veterans with income-generating initiatives, including availing farming equipment, borehole drilling, mining claims and piggery and poultry projects, among many other programmes.
