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Zimbabwe President loses sister, ministers to Covid; UAE leaders offer condolences

Abu Dhabi - More than two-thirds of Zimbabwe's 1,160 Covid-related deaths were recorded in January alone.

Pallbearers carry a coffin at the burial of two cabinet ministers and a retired general who died after contracting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Harare, Zimbabwe. — Reuters
Pallbearers carry a coffin at the burial of two cabinet ministers and a retired general who died after contracting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Harare, Zimbabwe. — Reuters

By Wam/Reuters

Published: Sat 30 Jan 2021, 8:06 PM

Last updated: Sat 30 Jan 2021, 8:12 PM

The UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sent a cable of condolences to Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe, expressing sympathy over the death of his sister, a number of his ministers and the Ambassador of Zimbabwe to the UAE, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, have sent similar cables to the President of Zimbabwe.

Reuters reported that more than half of Zimbabwe’s 32,646 confirmed Covid-19 cases and two-thirds of its 1,160 deaths were recorded in January alone.

Among those who have died in the last few days were two cabinet ministers, a retired general and other high-ranking officials. The two ministers were treated in a private clinic.

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga said on Friday it was likely that more transmissible variants of Covid-19 were now circulating in Zimbabwe and the government was investigating.

He said a stricter one-month lockdown that was re-introduced on January 2 and includes a dusk-to-dawn curfew and shutting land borders, would be extended by another two weeks.


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