By A Correspondent – Vice President Constantino Chiwenga made a bold political statement Monday morning when he arrived at the National Heroes Acre wearing a plain black scarf, a stark departure from the Zimbabwean flag-themed scarf that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has turned into his personal trademark since the 2017 coup.

Mnangagwa’s signature scarf, now synonymous with his rule, has been widely adopted by ministers, Zanu PF officials, and supporters who use it as a symbol of loyalty and supposed patriotism. 

Critics argue the scarf has been weaponised to extort businesses, silence dissent, and project allegiance to the Mnangagwa faction of the ruling party.

Chiwenga’s choice to wear a neutral black scarf, at a high-profile state event, has been interpreted as a subtle but deliberate snub of Mnangagwa’s political branding. 

Coming amid persistent rumours of deepening factional tensions within Zanu PF, the move is likely to fuel speculation about a looming leadership rift ahead of the party’s next elective congress.

President Mnangagwa will this morning preside over the burial of liberation war veteran Luke Mushore, known by his Chimurenga name Joboringo, at the national shrine. 

Mushore, who joined the liberation struggle in 1972, was declared a national hero last Friday after his death on June 13. 

The cause of death has not been made public.