HARARE – A Scottish MP photographed wearing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s signature scarf with Zimbabwean colours says she “deplores” the Zanu PF government.
Zimbabwe-born Maggie Chapman said she was deceived by Zanu PF supporters who approached her for a picture, and then handed her the scarf now associated with Mnangagwa.
The picture provided propaganda fodder for Mnangagwa’s aides ahead of his trip to the United Nations climate summit hosted by Scotland this week.
Government spokesman Ndavaningi Mangwana said it was “good to see her adorning the beautiful scarf.”
Chapman has moved to clear up a perception that she endorsed Mnangagwa.
“Apologies for the photos, they are in no way an endorsement of Zanu PF or the regime in Zimbabwe which I deplore,” she wrote on Facebook.
“I bumped into some Shona speakers at the end of my street and had a conversation about Zimbabwe – as I always do with any Shona speakers. I am sorry I didn’t recognise them as individuals or the scarf. They did recognise me, which is why it turns out they were so keen on the photos.”
