A bomb threat prompted the closure of Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls Airport, resulting in President Emmerson Mnangagwa canceling his scheduled appearance at a renewable energy conference.
The threat, communicated via email to airport authorities by the Fastjet airline, claimed a credible bomb or firearm threat targeting Zimbabwe’s airports. Consequently, President Mnangagwa suspended his trip to allow for ongoing investigations. Although the president’s plane reportedly made a U-turn en route to the conference, authorities have not confirmed this detail.
Presidential spokesman George Charamba emphasized that security measures are now heightened in response to the threat, urging calm among citizens while investigations proceed. While Zimbabwe is generally peaceful with well-secured ports of entry, alerts regarding potential terrorist attacks are taken seriously.
The incident disrupted airport operations, leading to flight diversions and delays. The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe warned of further disruptions to facilitate continuous monitoring of the situation.
Join our WhatsApp Channel for more news
While such occurrences are rare in southern African countries, Zimbabwe has experienced similar threats in the past. In 2018, an explosion during a campaign rally in Bulawayo resulted in casualties, including injuries to top officials. President Mnangagwa narrowly escaped harm in that incident, which underscored the need for heightened security vigilance.
