Several heads of African states, mostly from Commonwealth countries, have arrived in London for King Charles’s coronation on Saturday.
Among those already in the UK include Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, King Mswati III of Eswatini, Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, and Liberia’s George Weah among others.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be the first Zimbabwean leader to visit London in over two decades after the UK imposed sanctions on the southern African country.
Mr Mnangagwa said he was “excited” to receive an invite to attend the royal event. Some British parliamentarians, however, condemned his invitation citing alleged human rights violations in his country.
It is not yet clear if Kenyan President William Ruto will attend the event, after he last week complained of mistreatment of African leaders during foreign trips.
He was referring to an incident where African presidents were put in a bus to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral ceremony in the UK.
From French-speaking countries, Niger President Mohamed Bazoum will be attending the royal event while Côte d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara will be represented by his deputy Tiémoko Meyliet Koné.
Cameroon’s Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute will represent President Paul Biya at the event. The country is a former colony of both Britain and France.
King Charles receives Ghana’s King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, and wife Lady Julia in a private audience at Buckingham Palace. They will join other dignitaries at the coronation of the King at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6.
