By Tinotenda Hove – The Zimbabwe Anti-Presidential Insult (ZAPI) has issued a stern warning to Zimbabweans to desist from using artificial intelligence tools to generate and share manipulated images of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, arguing that the practice tarnishes the image of the country’s leader.

In a statement released on 23 September 2026, the organisation expressed concern over what it described as a rise in AI-created pictures portraying Mnangagwa in a manner inconsistent with his formally endorsed portraits.

“We are there to Build the Integrity of the President, the Father of the Country. Stop Undermining the Head of State through AI Pictures. This must end with Immediate effect,” ZAPI said.

According to the group, there are officially sanctioned photographs of the President that are meant for public use, and these were not produced using AI technology.

“The President has officially approved pictures that are used and those pictures are not designed by AI Application,” the statement said.

ZAPI said it is now closely following the circulation of Mnangagwa’s images and accused certain individuals, including some members aligned to ZANU PF, of producing cartoon-style depictions of the President through AI platforms.

“Those comrades and some other ZANU PF comrades who have interest in using AI to design the picture of the Head of State are cartooning the Head of State by using AI Application,” the organisation said.

The group went on to state that modifying the President’s likeness using AI and then distributing it for any form of communication would be treated as a violation.

“It is an offense to design a picture of the President that appears dissimilar to the original and use it on whatever you want to communicate,” it said.

In its warning, ZAPI said those found creating or spreading such images risk being publicly named on social media platforms and facing unspecified action from its security operatives.

“If found to be doing the above offense, you risk being exposed on social media and also you risk drastic measures by the Zimbabwe Anti-Presidential Insult Security Personnel deployed all over the Country,” the group warned.

The statement ended with a cautionary proverb: “When a bird is missed by a stone, it immediately flies away. Therefore, for warned is fore warmed.”