Salah came to Morocco after not starting in five consecutive Liverpool matches, with his omission leading to an outburst against manager Arne Slot.
But his uncertain future at Anfield was forgotten as he pounced on a loose ball inside the box and beat 40-year-old Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi with a perfectly placed shot into the corner.
What was expected to be a comfortable start for Egypt in Group B proved anything but as Prince Dube gave Zimbabwe a 20th-minute lead they retained until Omar Marmoush equalised after 63 minutes.
Victory leaves Egypt level on three points after the first series of group matches with South Africa, who beat Angola 2-1 in Marrakesh earlier.
Ahead of the match, Salah had shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool, according to Egypt coach and former star Hossam Hassan, an AFCON winner as a player.
“I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does,” said Hassan.
Salah did not start any of the last five Liverpool games before AFCON and things came to a head following a Premier League draw at Leeds United when he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by Slot.
That suggested a move away from the troubled league champions during the January transfer window was a real possibility.
Salah wants to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON title. He has never won the continental title, coming closest by being part of the teams that were runners-up in 2017 and 2022. (AFP)