COVID-19

A prominent broadcaster Zororo Makamba (30 years) became the first person to die of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe. The deceased was the son of a business mogul and ruling Zanu PF politician James Makamba and had been admitted to hospital after his condition deteriorated. The Ministry of Health and Child Care via Twitter confirmed the death of Zororo Makamba, the second person to test positive in Zimbabwe. He had underlying medical conditions, making him more vulnerable to complications arising from the virus. He had travelled to New York in February 2020 and returned home on March 9, transiting through Johannesburg in neighbouring South Africa. The government said he began showing mild flu-like symptoms on March 12 that progressively worsened. He consulted a doctor and was instructed to self-quarantine. He launched his media career at the local radio station ZiFM Stereo, where he hosted current affairs programs. He moved to television where one of his most popular shows was “Tonight with Zororo”, which aired on MNet’s Zambezi Magic. He won several accolades including a National Arts and Merit Award and Best Male Achiever at the Zimbabwe Youth Achievers Awards