State television described Mugabe as "fit and strong" and showed him being received at Harare's international airport by senior government and security officials. He had flown on a reportedly ‘empty’ AirZim Boeing which had been dispatched to fetch him, his wife and his 15 man entourage from South Africa on Sunday.
The 88 year old left last Monday and, unlike his numerous trips to Singapore in recent months, there was little secret about the reason for the journey. An official in his office was quoted as saying that Mugabe was on a private visit for a “routine medical checkup.”
When asked by Reuters, “why the president was going abroad if it was a routine issue” the official said: “I am not going to be dragged into that kind of malicious debate.”
Debate has been raging about Mugabe’s health after diplomatic cables released by the online whistle-blowing group WikiLeaks stated that he had prostate cancer.
ZANU PF has repeatedly denied there is anything wrong with their party leader, despite his advanced age, and have previously insisted his frequent foreign trips have been related to issues with his eyesight.
But it is widely believed that his treatment is for something more serious, especially with ZANU PF on the election war path. Mugabe, at 88, will soon become one of Africa’s oldest presidential election candidates in what will, almost certainly, be his last poll. – SW Radio Africa News
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