During a recent rally in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe’s defence minister, Oppah Muchinguri, made unusual claims regarding the global spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Muchinguri characterized the virus as a “punishment” directed at the US and Europe for imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe since the early 2000s over alleged human rights abuses. She expressed, “Coronavirus is the work of God punishing countries who imposed sanctions on us. They are now staying indoors. Their economies are screaming just like they did to our economy.”
Muchinguri also added that COVID-19 would serve as a lesson for US President Donald Trump to recognize that “he is not God” and stated, “They must feel the effects of coronavirus and understand our pain.”
The United States and the European Union had imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe’s high ranking officials during the regime of the late ex-president Robert Mugabe.