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‘He asked if we’re happy in UAE’: Residents meet Sheikh Mohamed at Lulu hypermarket
The UAE leader spent over 50 minutes at Lulu Hypermarket in Mushrif Mall shaking hands, taking selfies, interacting with residents and talking to staff
- PUBLISHED: Wed 12 Aug 2026, 3:31 PM UPDATED: Wed 12 Aug 2026, 4:33 PM
It was a regular Tuesday evening at Lulu Hypermarket in Mushrif Mall. Shoppers were busy filling their trolleys and picking up groceries for the week ahead when they noticed a surprise visitor among them — UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
What followed was not a staged walk-through or a quick photo opportunity. It was a genuine, unhurried, hour-long conversation between the President and the people of his nation — and for everyone who was there, it was a moment they will never forget.
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A senior staff member of Lulu, who did not wish to be identified, said that they had some clear instructions. They were told not to stop anyone, not to clear the aisles, not to hold lifts and not to change the way the mall functioned. Everyone was to carry on as usual.
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"When he walked in, people started waving immediately,” the employee said. “They called out to him. Some asked, 'Can I thank you? Can I shake your hand?' And wherever possible, he stopped. He took pictures, shook hands and waved back at everyone.”
The President made his way through the hypermarket, stopping at shelves, asking about products and checking availability. He showed particular interest in locally grown produce, stopping at a section promoting Emirati farm products.
"He asked about the quality. He asked about customer response. He asked about pricing," the staff member said. "Then he turned to staff and asked, 'Are you happy here? Any complaints?' He repeated that question to so many people. He genuinely wanted to know."
Pat on the back for the guard
One of the security guards on duty that evening received an unexpected gesture that brought tears to those watching. Sheikh Mohamed walked up to him, patted him on the back, and simply said, "Good job."
Among the hundreds of people who witnessed the evening was Indian expatriate Abdul Rahman, a visitor to the mall. "He spent close to 45 to 50 minutes there,” he said. “It was peak traffic time, but he didn't rush. He wanted to observe and experience the heart of the city during its busiest hours.”
For Abdul Rahman, the key takeaway was how people reacted and the President's response to them. "People were calling out to him and he was waving at everyone,” he said. “Emiratis, youngsters, expats — everyone was coming and asking for him. I was there for a while after he left and people kept pouring in hoping to get a glimpse of him.”
Some people waved at him while others shook his hands. Still others saluted him — a gesture that he accepted with his hand on his heart.
Abdul Rahman added: "Everyone sees him as a fatherly figure. The love he has for people — you could see it in every interaction. It also showed the sense of belonging that people feel. They spoke to him and called out to him like he was a family member. Everyone felt so happy, so respected, so loved."
Meeting the staff
The Lulu employee said that the President asked to meet the senior leadership of the group. "He spoke to every single member of staff," he said. "He asked each person how many years they had been with Lulu. He asked for proper introductions. He wasn't rushing. He was listening — genuinely, intently listening to each one of them. He posed for a nice group photo with all of us."
For a staff member who has worked in retail for years, it was beyond anything they had imagined.
"Shaking hands with a leader is one thing but to get to speak to him and explain my profile was something out of my dreams,” he said. “He wanted to know about sourcing efficiency. He asked about price stability. He cared about the details. I could never have imagined this."
As the crowd eventually dispersed and the mall returned to its usual rhythm, one thing was clear: the people of the UAE saw their President not as a distant figure, but as someone who walks among them, shakes their hands, pats their backs, and asks, with complete sincerity, "Are you happy?"
