President Emmerson Mnangagwa cancelled a scheduled appearance at Mine Entra in Bulawayo at the 11th hour on Friday after he had to meet a foreign envoy on the same day, it has emerged.
The president’s aborted trip triggered speculation online, as police were heavily deployed in urban centres to prevent protests threatened by activists opposed to recently passed constitutional amendments.
However, there was no sign of protesters in Harare or Bulawayo following days of warnings from ZANU PF politicians, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe National Army.
Presidency spokesperson George Charamba told ZimLive that Mnangagwa could not fly to Bulawayo for the event as he had a foreign envoy to meet.
“He had a foreign envoy to meet. The Mine Entra commitment was made several weeks ago, before this unforeseen,” Charamba was quoted as saying.
The presidency later published pictures of Mnangagwa meeting Jagan Chapagain, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Mnangagwa had been scheduled to officiate at the annual mining industry exhibition at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo and was due to land in the city at 10 AM.
ZANU PF central committee members who usually line the red carpet to welcome him had assembled with journalists when airport officials told them to stand down and leave – Mnangagwa would not be coming.
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