The Nando's fast food chicken chain is pulling their simply hilarious ''Last dictator standing'' TV advert after pressure, and fear that Nando's employees in Zimbabwe could be assaulted or worse after threats following the very funny caricature in the commercial that's clearly Zimbabwe's old and ailing despot Robert Mugabe.
Chipangano, a Zimbabwean militant youth group loyal to Robert Mugabe has urged people to boycott the restaurant chain, according to Zimbabwean state radio and Nando's has decided to pull the TV commercial. ''We feel strongly that this is the prudent step to take in a volatile climate and believe that no TV commercial is worth risking the safety of Nando's staff and customers,'' Nando's said in a statement today.
Of course the TV commercial has already gone viral globally.
The funny commercial starts with what is clearly a lonely Robert Mugabe sitting at a Christmas table all alone, then thinking back at all the ''fun times'' he's had with some of the world's biggest dictators. Robert Mugabe thinks back to water-gun fights with Muammar Gaddafi, making sand angels on the beach with Saddam Hussein, singing karaoke with Chairman Mao, and playing on the swings with South Africa's notorious P.W. Botha. With Uganda's Idi Amin they stand on a tank (instead of the bow of the Titanic) in a scene reminiscent of Jack and Rose in Titanic.
The wonderful TV ad is set to Mary Hopkin's nostalgic 1960s song "Those were the days my friend'' and a voice-over exclaims: "This time of year, no one should have to eat alone. So get a Nando's six-pack meal for six.''
Nando's South Africa says about ''we've noted with concern the political reaction emanating out of Zimbabwe, including perceived threats against Nando's Zimbabwe's management, staff and customers. Nando's South Africa takes these threats very seriously and will regrettably no longer flight the TV commercial as part of our festive season campaign.''
