Zimbabwe’s foreign affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo on Wednesday died a day after testing positive to COVID-19, the acting chief secretary to the president and cabinet George Charamba said in a statement.

A close family member of Moyo also confirmed the death.

“It’s true my brother. He tested positive yesterday,“ the family member said.

He becomes the third government minister to succumb to COVID-19 since the pandemic hit the country in March 2020.

The retired army Lt.-Gen. was the face of the military operation that ousted former President Robert Mugabe in Nov. 2019 and went on to be part of current President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.