Expected to attend the 56th session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Victoria Falls on March 1, 2024, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa couldn't make it. The plane supposed to take him there had to turn back. Here are the reasons for this forced return.
The plane carrying President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday, March 1, couldn't land at Victoria Falls airport due to a bomb threat.
Concurring sources confirm that the airline operating this flight informed the Zimbabwean airport authority that they had received an email from a certain "John Doe". This individual claimed a "credible threat of firearm/bomb" targeting Victoria Falls airport.
The information was confirmed by presidential spokesperson George Charamba. According to Zimbabwean media, the email sender stated that they had withdrawn from the planned attack, while their "armed colleagues, along with bombs", were still in Victoria Falls. When the information leaked, an official statement was issued. The President "had to suspend his trip to allow for ongoing investigations," the statement read.
It was also indicated that, as a precautionary measure, "the country's security systems are now on high alert following this message, the source and credibility of which are also under investigation."
President Mnangagwa was supposed to officially open the 56th session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), bringing together finance ministers from across the continent. He was also scheduled to participate in the Southern Africa Renewable Energy International Conference.
Several international flights were affected by this incident and had to be redirected to nearby airports in neighboring countries.
