Fugitive War Veteran Blessed Geza Dies in South Africa

Blessed Runesu Geza, also known as Comrade Bombshell

By Staff Reporter

HARARE — Fugitive war veteran and former ZANU-PF central committee member Blessed Runesu Geza, popularly known as Comrade Bombshell, has died. His family confirmed his death in a statement issued on Friday afternoon. Geza passed away on Friday morning at a cardiac hospital in South Africa, where he had been receiving medical treatment. He was 82.

In the statement, the family urged the public to ignore any crowdfunding campaigns linked to his funeral, warning that opportunists could attempt to exploit his death for financial gain.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our hero Cde Blessed Runesu Geza, popularly known as Cde Bombshell. He left us this morning at a cardio hospital in South Africa,” the family said.“We are aware some people would want to cash in on his death, and we encourage Zimbabweans to ignore any call for GoFundMe towards his funeral.”

The family said funeral arrangements were still being finalised and that an official family spokesperson would be announced in due course.

From Liberation War to Political Power

Born in 1943 in colonial Rhodesia, Geza was a veteran of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and later became an influential figure within the ruling ZANU-PF party. After independence in 1980, he transitioned into the security and political spheres, with reports suggesting he served in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

He later entered Parliament, representing Sanyati, and rose through party ranks to become a member of the ZANU-PF Central Committee, as well as a prominent voice within the war veterans’ movement.

From Insider to Dissident

Geza’s political trajectory took a dramatic turn in January 2025, when he began releasing a series of online videos and holding press conferences openly calling for the resignation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He accused the government of corruption, economic mismanagement, and betraying the ideals of the liberation struggle.

His defiance placed him on a collision course with the State. By February 2025, police were seeking him on multiple charges, and he went into hiding. Geza maintained that he was the victim of political persecution, particularly after the arrest of his wife, Roseline Ndaizivei Tawengwa. On 6 March 2025, ZANU-PF’s Politburo formally expelled him, accusing him of making “divisive and treasonous” statements.

Escalation and Confrontation

Tensions escalated further when Geza’s home in Sanyati was reportedly petrol-bombed on 29 March 2025, an attack he blamed on political rivals. Two days later, he organised a nationwide “day of action” and stay-away protests against a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow a third presidential term. In October 2025, he again called for mass demonstrations at Africa Unity Square in Harare, demanding accountability and action against corruption.

A Polarising Legacy

Geza’s death closes the chapter on one of the most controversial political breakaways in recent Zimbabwean history. To supporters, he was a war veteran who rediscovered his conscience. To critics, he was a destabilising figure who turned against the system that elevated him. What remains clear is that Comrade Bombshell died as he lived his final months, defiant, divisive, and impossible to ignore.

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