PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has left Davos, Switzerland, for Ethiopia where he will join other heads of State and government for the 30th Africa Union summit.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
He is expected back in Zimbabwe in three day’s time.
Acting secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Ivanhoe Gurira said Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga would be Acting President from yesterday until Mnangagwa returns.
Mnangagwa was in Davos, Switzerland, where he met with top businesspeople, including International Monetary Fund boss Christine Lagarde and World Bank chief executive officer Kristalina Georgieva, on the sidelines of the 48th World Economic Forum.
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa also joined her peers at the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV and Aids (OAFLA) in Addis Ababa, a first for Zimbabwe since the philanthropic body was formed in 2002.
Former First Lady Grace Mugabe never participated at OAFLA, instead reportedly choosing shopping and globe-trotting with her husband on their numerous foreign trips.
UNAids country director Girmay Haile on Wednesday hailed the historic step taken by Mnangagwa after she expressed commitment to play a strategic national and international advocacy role in ending HIV and Aids.
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Mnangagwa said she would take her role and partnership with UNAids seriously.
“We have orphans, child-headed families in our nation caused mostly by HIV and Aids, everyone has been affected and, therefore, a response should not only be left to those infected because it’s a collective effort,” she said.
The First Lady, who has over the past 60 days visited several public health institutions, children’s homes and prisons, said her aim was to raise more awareness and complement government efforts to end HIV and Aids.
“My role is to effectively use my office to raise awareness for a national response. This position is not for me to have people bowing every time I walk in, but it has to be used for nation building and betterment of other people’s lives because it’s held in trust,” she said.
