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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 30056, member: 2262"] Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa faces his biggest test since he grabbed power eight years ago. His ruling party fights among itself as people feel angry about the awful economy. A former ZANU-PF member named Blessed Geza has asked everyone to protest against the president on March 31. Geza, nicknamed Bombshell, appeared on social media wearing army clothes, saying he had already started working to kick out Mnangagwa. Police answered by strengthening their positions across the country and promising to punish anyone who told others to act violently. Most people might stay home because the political opposition remains weak after years of harsh treatment. Many Zimbabweans remember how mass protests helped the army remove Robert Mugabe in 2017, putting Mnangagwa in charge instead. Takudzwa Dube, who recently graduated college, makes money from small jobs. She plans to skip Monday's protests because she worries about safety. The 24-year-old told reporters in Bulawayo that extremely high joblessness makes people focus on staying alive rather than joining demonstrations. The current anger started because some ZANU-PF members want to let Mnangagwa stay past his legal limit of two terms, which ends in 2028. Political expert Tendai Mbanje, who works at the African Centre for Governance in Johannesburg, describes the situation as a messy fight over who takes power next. Mbanje, who was born in Zimbabwe, says the country feels very tense, with heavy security in major cities, suggesting things might explode soon. He believes Zimbabwe exists in what he calls toxic functionalism. Geza leads war veterans who fought for independence back in 1980. They want Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, a retired general who planned the coup against Mugabe, to replace Mnangagwa. Zimbabwe activist Linda Masarira, who leads the opposition LEAD party, sees similarities between current events and what happened before the dramatic 2017 coup. She believes the fighting inside ZANU-PF might destabilize the entire nation. Mnangagwa seems worried about military loyalty. He recently demoted army chief Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe to sports minister on Tuesday. This marks his third big change to security leadership after he replaced both the police chief and intelligence head before the 2023 elections. Political analyst Eldred Masunungure says Sanyatwe lost his job to protect Mnangagwa, nicknamed The Crocodile, from mutiny attempts. Mnangagwa addressed party divisions during a recent ZANU-PF meeting. He said those barking should continue barking as he moves the country forward. He called his critics rogue delusional elements. Government spokesman Nick Mangwana tried to show unity by telling reporters absolutely no fight exists in the government. Human rights activist Abigale Mupambi warns that any faction pushing for leadership change might not find the same popular support as in 2017. People feel careful about getting involved in something that ignores their real problems. Mbanje agrees with this view. He says if power changes hands through illegal means, the military benefits, not regular citizens. The army gained advantages after the 2017 takeover and will likely benefit again this time around. Zimbabwe continues to struggle under an economic crisis that many blame on corruption and poor management by government leaders. [/QUOTE]

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