The Zimbabwe government on Friday morning denied reports that veteran President Robert Mugabe, 91, had collapsed and died in Singapore after rumours spread rapidly about his alleged ill health. Under the headline “President well, fine”, stories about Mugabe’s health emerged each year when he took his annual leave outside the country.
“You cannot doubt that there will be a story on the President’s alleged death every January,” presidential spokesman George Charamba told reporters. Charamba blamed newspapers and online blogs for starting the rumours. “This is the way they seeks to improve their hits in order to get dirty money… There is a financial incentive to the lies,” he added.
It was reported that Mugabe was in the “Far East” but did not specify which country. The president, who is the world’s oldest national leader, has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. Despite his age, he continues to give long speeches in public, but speculation over his health mounted last year when he tripped and fell down some steps at a televised ceremony.
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