VETERANS of the country's liberation struggle, who are backing their fellow bush war combatant, Blessed Runesu Geza, now wanted by police on a litany of charges, have once again called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down immediately, accusing him of failure.
This follows recent demands by Geza, a vocal critic of Mnangagwa and Zanu PF Central Committee member, who insisted that the President must resign due to his poor leadership.
Geza is currently in hiding after police launched a manhunt for him over four criminal charges, including undermining the authority of the President and inciting public violence.
Speaking at a press conference Friday, Ethan Mathibela, chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), stated that Mnangagwa has failed to address widespread corruption, which has led to the country's economic crisis, among other issues.
"The nation at large, which is suffering due to this crisis, has told us they will stand with us war veterans every step of the way. They have made it clear that we must lead the charge in ensuring that the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe steps down immediately, and we are in agreement," said Mathibela.
"We have countless reasons to justify this. Among them, he has failed to tackle corruption, which has severely impacted ordinary citizens and crippled our economy.
"He has also failed to curb tribalism; he could be the architect of it. These are some of the reasons why people who once respected this government have now reached a decision, Mr. President, you have failed, and therefore, you must step down!
"We put you in power, and we can remove you. It's very straightforward. I am speaking on behalf of the majority of citizens who have been pressuring us for far too long," Mathibela said.
The war veterans have vowed to embark on massive protests to force Mnangagwa's resignation.
This comes at a time when there are two distinct factions in the ruling Zanu PF party with one loyal to Mnangagwa advocating for the suspension of the 2028 elections to allow him to remain in power until 2030 and the other, believed to be aligned to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, pushing for adherence to the constitutional term limits.
