An flight carrying Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa aborted a landing Friday in Victoria Falls, where he was scheduled to attend an international conference, after police received an email containing a “credible bomb-firearm threat.”
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said that authorities received a bomb threat email at Victoria Falls Airport.
“As a precaution, the country’s security systems are now on heightened alert following this message whose source and credibility is also being investigated. … The nation is being urged to remain calm while investigations are underway, the results of which will be made public by relevant arms of government once the investigations are concluded,” the statement said.
According to the statement, Mnangagwa, “who was this morning slotted to address a meeting in the prime resort city of Victoria Falls, has had to suspend his trip for investigations which are already under way.”
Clement Mukwasi, president of Zimbabwe’s Employers Association for Tours and Safari Operators, verified getting notice of the bomb scare.
“It looks like this scare was confined to the airport,” he told VOA from Victoria Falls. “Nothing is impacted on the actual activities of Victoria Falls. The tourists are happy. They are doing their activities as usual. All scheduled activities are happening. And we have not seen any police presence.”
Victoria Falls is a popular tourist site on the Zambian border. The city is around 900 kilometres (560 miles) from Harare, where most international conferences are place. Mnangagwa planned to attend the Southern Africa International Renewable Energy Conference’s closing ceremony on Friday.