Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa broke off a foreign tour Sunday, saying he wanted his country “calm, stable and working again” as criticism grew over a brutal crackdown in response to protests.
The President who was seeking much-needed foreign investment on the tour, announced his return on Twitter, scrapping plans to attend the Davos summit of world leaders this week.
Violent demonstrations erupted across Zimbabwe on January 14 after Mnangagwa announced petrol prices would more than double in a country that suffers daily shortages of banknotes, fuel, food and medicine.
According to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, at least twelve people have been killed and seventy-eight treated for gunshot injuries over the last week, which recorded more than 240 incidents of assault and torture.
The UN has criticised the government reaction to the protests, which were triggered by a sharp hike in fuel prices.