Zim GBC News | Political Correspondent
HARARE – ZANU PF national spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa is facing mounting criticism within the ruling party after publicly commending the late war veteran Blessed Runesu Geza, a figure remembered for both his role in the 2017 political transition and his later fierce attacks on President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Mutsvangwa revealed that he had intended to attend Geza’s funeral in Sanyati on Monday, 16 February, but was out of the country in Mombasa, Kenya .
“Geza was very active in the fight against usurpation of power and attempts to set up a dynasty in the First Republic,” Mutsvangwa said .
The ZANU PF spokesperson credited Geza with playing a decisive role during the internal battles against the G40 faction, adding that the late war veteran had personally drawn him into that struggle .
“Geza is the one who brought me into the fight against the G40s. I have a lot which I can talk about, Geza,” Mutsvangwa stated.
“There were attempts through a clandestine operation to arrest Cde Mahiya and Matendadama, and they were provided with a hiding place at Geza’s farm in Sanyati. For us, Geza is a comrade we walked with during that difficult time of safeguarding the permanent Zimbabwe revolution.
I definitely would have been available at his funeral for personal reasons, personal bonds, and for the things we did together when we worked against the G40. He was at the forefront” .
Mutsvangwa also acknowledged the Geza family’s liberation war credentials, noting that several of Blessed’s siblings served as commanders. He said ZANLA commander Josiah Magama Tongogara named a camp in Mozambique after Pessintine Geza, who died during the liberation struggle, and added that Blessed’s brother Sam Geza was among ZIPA leaders who returned from Mozambique in 1975 to re-energise the armed struggle .
Party Hardliners Push Back
However, Mutsvangwa’s remarks have unsettled party hardliners who argue that Geza’s later public criticism of the current leadership makes such praise inappropriate.
Geza, who died in South Africa on February 6 after battling an undisclosed illness, had been living in exile since February 2025 when he launched fierce attacks against President Mnangagwa over alleged plans to extend his stay in office beyond his constitutionally mandated second term .
He was expelled from ZANU PF in March 2025 after publicly accusing the President of corruption, nepotism, and betraying the ideals of the liberation struggle . At the time of his death, treason charges were hanging over his head .
One senior party official told Zim GBC News:
“Mutsvangwa is glorifying a man who publicly attacked our current leadership. Praising Geza now undermines party unity and will not be accepted by loyal members.”
Another hardliner added: “Geza may have played a role in 2017, but elevating him now is political revisionism. Mutsvangwa is stirring factionalism.”
Limited Recognition at Burial
Geza’s burial on February 16 at his homestead in Sanyati reportedly received limited recognition from senior party figures, and he was not declared a national hero—a development widely interpreted as reflecting his strained relationship with sections of the current leadership . The fact that his body was handled by Nyaradzo Funeral Services rather than Doves, which handles all State-related burials, was seen as a sign that the Government had distanced itself from the proceedings .
Calls for Hero Status
Mutsvangwa had earlier sparked controversy by calling for Geza to be accorded national hero status, arguing that his liberation war contributions should not be erased by his recent political fallout with the President .
“Both the party and war veterans feel that he is a comrade who faltered at the last mile. We blame this on the fact that Geza was no longer well,” Mutsvangwa told reporters previously.
“He was thus not thinking properly, which made him vulnerable to people who want to steal the history of the people of Zimbabwe. We embrace him back. As ZANU PF and war veterans, we say your history will not change despite what happened recently” .
However, an independent organisation linked to the ruling party, the Movement for Economic Freedom (MEF), has strongly opposed the idea. MEF national chairperson Agripa Guti said:
“We respect Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa’s opinion, but as patriotic youth advocating for Vision 2030, we do not agree that Cde Geza should be a national hero. His actions calling for illegal demonstrations to remove a constitutionally-elected President contradict the liberation values we once fought for” .
Factional Tensions Exposed
The controversy has once again exposed simmering tensions within ZANU PF, with observers suggesting that debates over the legacy of 2017 continue to shape internal dynamics. Geza had largely lived in the background before his January 2025 outburst calling for an uprising against Mnangagwa during an internal fight within the ruling party .
Political analysts note that the differing treatment of Geza’s legacy reflects deeper divisions within the party, particularly as debates over presidential term limits and succession planning intensify .
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