Mugabe spokesperson laughs off reports that president is ill

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, on Wednesday skirted questions on President Robert Mugabe’s sudden illness that had forced him to cut short his participation at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit.

Mugabe on Monday flew into Mbabane, Swaziland, where the SADC heads of State and government summit is being held, but online media reports claimed he left abruptly on Tuesday, returned home briefly and went off to Singapore for emergency prostate cancer attention.

Pressed to comment on the reports, Charamba instead just laughed and could not give a direct answer.

He, however, remarked that Mugabe would not become ill on the basis of media reports that claimed so.

“My laughter should be enough to answer these reports. Just because it is reported, it does not make them true and I have no further comment on these stories,” Charamba said.

Mugabe, 92, has been secretly flying to Singapore to receive treatment for reported cancer and eye problems linked to his advanced age. Nehanda Radio