By Aldridge Dzvene
HARARE — Government has dismissed as fake a document circulating on social media claiming that the Office of the President and Cabinet had commissioned the printing of official presidential portraits for the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, describing her as the “incoming President of the Republic of Zimbabwe”.
The document, dated 14 July 2026, purportedly addressed to Printflow (Private) Limited, claimed that the company had been instructed to print 1,000 copies of an official portrait bearing the caption, “The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Her Excellency, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa”.
However, Government has rejected the letter, describing it as a fabrication. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, said the document was not authentic and urged the public to disregard it.
Mr Mangwana, in a statement posted on X, said there was a “clear and misguided effort” to thrust the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, into the political spotlight through baseless allegations.
“There is a clear and misguided effort to thrust the First Lady, Dr Mnangagwa, into the political spotlight through baseless allegations. In an attempt to lend credibility to this narrative, some are now circulating fabricated documents, clearly generated using artificial intelligence (AI), to advance this agenda,” said Mr Mangwana.
The Permanent Secretary said the First Lady, while being a member of ZANU PF, has never pursued a partisan agenda, adding that her initiatives and programmes remain national in character.
“While the First Lady is indeed a member of ZANU PF, she has never pursued a partisan agenda. Her initiatives and programmes remain distinctly nationalistic in character, treating all Zimbabweans equally, with particular attention to the less fortunate members of society and other causes close to her heart,” Mr Mangwana said.
Government said several inconsistencies were identified on the circulating document, including issues relating to the letterhead, signature and the process through which official portraits are commissioned and distributed.
The Office of the President and Cabinet has also denied issuing the communication, while authorities are investigating the origins of the fake document and those responsible for circulating it.
The document gained attention amid ongoing public debate around recent constitutional changes following the enactment of amendments affecting Zimbabwe’s presidential election system and tenure arrangements.
Government has urged citizens to verify official communications through authorised channels before accepting or sharing information circulating online.
