WATCH: President Mnangagwa to revisit liberation ordeal through noose exhibit at ZITF

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will revisit a harrowing chapter of his liberation‑struggle history when he views the hangman’s noose that almost ended his life, now on display as part of a historical exhibit at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).

The noose — now on display at the ruling party’s stand in Hall Five — is the same type used by the Rhodesian regime during the 1960s to execute freedom fighters, including some of President Mnangagwa’s comrades.

President Mnangagwa was arrested in 1964 following acts of sabotage linked to the Crocodile Gang, including the bombing of a train near Fort Victoria, now Masvingo. He was subsequently sentenced to death.
However, he escaped execution because of his age. At the time, he was just 18 — below the legal threshold for capital punishment.

His comrades, Victor Mlambo and James Dlamini, who were older, were executed using the same noose.

“This is the rope that the settlers wanted to use to end President Mnangagwa’s life in the 1960s,” said Cde Nicholas Katikiti, who is manning the exhibition stand. “Due to his young age, he was spared, but his fellow Crocodile Gang members were not as fortunate.”

The exhibition also features flogging benches — grim reminders of the brutality meted out to detainees by the colonial regime.

Mnangagwa himself is said to have endured repeated beatings with a rattan cane while in detention.

The display has drawn significant attention at ZITF, offering visitors a stark, physical connection to the country’s liberation history and the sacrifices made by those who fought for independence.