THE PANICKY government yesterday said outspoken war veteran Blessed Geza’s days were numbered after he called for a two-day national shutdown to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down.
The government faces a fresh headache after Geza posted a video on YouTube on Saturday night urging Zimbabweans to stay at home on Tuesday and Wednesday to pile pressure on Mnangagwa to resign.
The war veteran accuses Mnangagwa of several transgressions that include presiding over a corrupt administration.
Mnangagwa attracted backlash from war veterans over a controversial plan by his loyalists to have his term extended from 2028 to 2030.
This is despite the President having publicly indicated that he is not interested in staying in office beyond 2028.
Information minister Jenfan Muswere, however, pleaded with Zimbabweans to ignore Geza’s call for a two-day national shutdown.
Muswere threatened Geza and other so-called cyber terrorists, saying their days are numbered.
“He [Geza] is a comedian, madman and content creator. We urge people to go to work and work for their families and not be misled in any way by him,” Muswere told NewsDay in an interview.
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“We are not moved by these cyber terrorists. Their days are numbered. We should work for our families and not be misled by an individual.”
Last month, Geza called for national protests against Mnangagwa, which later turned out to be a national shutdown, shaking the government to its core.
Geza believes staying at home is one of the best strategic ways of forcing Mnangagwa out of government without inviting the wrath of the police.
The March 31 national shutdown forced Zanu PF 2030 agenda supporters to temporarily dump the controversial plot to extend Mnangagwa’s term of office.
Citizens Coalition for Change spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi yesterday said the opposition party supported the call for a national shutdown.
“Our position as the opposition party in the country is that we support every progressive effort by any citizen or individual who are fighting against corruption and even manoeuvres to alter the Constitution,” Mkwananzi said.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade secretary-general Kudakwashe Munengiwa said they would consult their constituency on the planned stay away.
“Blessed Geza has not reached out to us to understand the issues he is pursuing . . . we are on standby until we get direction from the workers we represent,” he said.
Munengiwa, however, said workers were not happy with the status quo.
“Workers’ wages have gone down since 2017; workers are not happy about the current economic status.”
Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo could not confirm whether health workers will report for duty or not on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We don’t comment on politics as we may be regarded as politicians,” he said.
Zanu PF director of Information Farai Marapira said the ruling party was not worried about Geza’s call for Mnangagwa to step down.
“It’s an insult to Zanu PF to be seen responding to a cartoon character like Geza,” Marapira said.
“Zanu PF is a big party and people in the country have shown that they have no time to respond to listen to such characters.”
Zanu PF dismissed Geza before the March 31 planned protests, which turned out to be a national shutdown.
Police deployed heavily ahead of the March 31 planned protests, betraying panic in government corridors.
Police have pressed charges against Geza, accusing him of incitement over his Mnangagwa must go call.
