UNITED Kingdom-based Zimbabwean academic and law lecturer, Dr Alex Magaisa, has died.

He was 47.

Dr Magaisa, who served as an advisor to the then Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, suffered a heart attack and died in the UK yesterday morning.

He was a lecturer of law at the University of Kent.

According to friends who posted on social media, Dr Magaisa suffered a cardiac arrest yesterday at Margate Hospital at around 10 am.

A family member, Ms Esteri Magaisa, confirmed the sad news.

“We do not have any funeral arrangements at the moment. A full brief will be given soon.

“We will be giving a press statement in the next few days. For now, we will grieve as a family,” she said.

Dr Magaisa served as the advisor (Chief of Staff) to Mr Tsvangirai from 2012- 2013.

Prior to becoming advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr Magaisa had been working as a core member of a team of experts tasked to advise on the drafting of the new Constitution of Zimbabwe.

He attained his first law degree at the University of Zimbabwe, before pursuing graduate studies at the University of Warwick in 1999.

In 2003, Magaisa was conferred with a PhD in Law from the same institution.Herald.