Coca-cola open palm campaign row deepens

THE row over Coca-Cola's alleged meddling in Zimbabwean politics deepened on Tuesday as Zanu-PF and the MDC-T sparred over the branding of cans launched over the weekend.

Coca-Cola has denied the branding carried a subliminal political message, insisting that the cans had been imported from South Africa to plug a shortage locally.

But the row showed no sign of abetting on Tuesday with Zanu-PF's deputy director of information Psychology Maziwisa accusing the international soft drinks giant of "delving into politics".

Maziwisa said it was suspicious that Coca-Cola had used the open palm only for Coke cans which come in red - a colour used in MDC-T campaign material but also one of Coca-Cola's corporate colours - while not doing the same with other drinks.

"The MDC-T will try to refute that, but I think the evidence is quite clear. Coca-Cola have only used the red can. They have shunned the Fanta Orange which has a yellow can. They have shunned Sprite," Maziwisa told SW Radio Africa last night.

"They have used the red colour which everybody knows is an MDC-T colour and they have used an open palm which everybody knows to be an MDC-T symbol."

Maziwisa said they were taking the matter "very seriously" and would be seeking an explanation from Coca-Cola.

But Luke Tamborinyoka, the official spokesman for Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Zanu-PF were barking at shadows.

"Even chickens are working with the MDC-T because they have open feet which show the MDC-T symbol. Everyone, according to the Herald, is working with the MDC-T," Tamborinyoka said.