ZIMBABWE: Is It Coca Cola Or Zim Coke

Painting a Coke bottle in the colours of Zimbabwe’s national flag shouldn’t be a problem – or should it? That’s the question some have been asking this week after Coca Cola Zimbabwe unveiled a new ad.

“You might know Coca-Cola by the iconic red, black and white bottle. But we see ourselves as red, black, white, green and yellow,” reads the ad, which was flighted in the press on Wednesday.

As anyone who’s followed Zimbabwe in the last nine months knows, the national flag is a touchy issue. After Harare pastor Evan Mawarire wrapped himself in the flag and kicked off his #ThisFlag protest movement, Zimbabwe’s flag is seen as nearly synonymous with opposition to Mugabe.

Movement for Democratic Change legislator Trevor Saruwaka was refused entry to parliament in October for wearing a blazer that looked a bit too much like the Zimbabwe flag.

Can a bottle of coke be seen as a threat?

In always-look-over-your-shoulder Zimbabwe, anything is possible.