By A Correspondent | ZimEye | The choice of attire by Zimbabwe’s Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and his wife Minnie Baloyi during their recent visit to India has sparked significant speculation and debate. Notably absent was the Zimbabwean flag-colored scarf, a signature symbol often associated with the country’s current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Instead, Chiwenga adorned a conspicuously red scarf—a stark visual departure with profound symbolic undertones.
So conspicuous is the red scarf on the two’s shoulders, that none of their Indian hosts have any such on their bodies. In Zimbabwe, red is often associated with blood, danger, and sacrifice. Its use in this context could suggest a deliberate message, especially considering Chiwenga’s role in the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe and installed Mnangagwa as president.
Many of the military figures who aided Chiwenga in executing the coup have since died under suspicious circumstances, fueling rumors of political purges within Zimbabwe’s corridors of power. Against this backdrop, Chiwenga’s red scarf might be interpreted as a subtle cry for help or a forewarning of his own peril, particularly given the high stakes and treacherous dynamics of Zimbabwe’s political landscape. The imagery becomes even more loaded when considering the setting in which Chiwenga wore this attire.
In one photograph, he is seen speaking near the ritually preserved remains of an Indian legend, a sacred and deeply symbolic act .
