Tinotenda Hove– A young man has sparked outrage after tattooing the faces of Emmerson Mnangagwa and businessman Wicknell Chivayo across his chest, describing the move as an act of “patriotism.”

The man described Chivayo as “the national inspiration” while proudly showing off the tattoos, but the gesture has triggered fierce backlash online.

Zimbabweans flooded social media with criticism, accusing the man of glorifying political elites at a time when many citizens are battling economic hardship, rising prices and currency instability.

“This is mockery!” one user posted, echoing the anger of critics who argued that the tattoos symbolise blind loyalty and the culture of patronage associated with powerful political and business figures.

Others described the stunt as “bootlicking gone too far,” saying it was deeply tone-deaf given growing public frustration over corruption allegations and extravagant displays of wealth by politically connected individuals.

The images quickly went viral, igniting heated debate over politics, loyalty and celebrity culture in Zimbabwe.