Mugabe suffers cancer recovery set back

Dictator Robert Mugabe is said to have suffered a setback in his recovery efforts after what had been initially billed as a minor medical procedure in Malaysia, impeccable sources travelling with him revealed to the Zimbabwe Mail.

A UK Daily Telegraph story, which was widely circulated by the international media on Monday, alleged Mugabe was in hospital in Malaysia after undergoing the unspecified “medical procedure”.

However, his spokesman who doubles up as his bodyguard, George Charamba (has a black belt in Karate) denied the claims saying: “You seem to know more about the President than I do. As far as I am concerned, the President is on his annual leave and we made this public. He will be back soon.”

This morning, a source close to Mugabe’s family told the Zimbabwe Mail reporter that the President, who was well on his way to recovery, suffered a setback overnight and he was then taken back into surgery.

The source whose identify cannot be revealed said the President is struggling to shake off the pain after his prostate suddenly flared. The source said Mugabe will however soon be flying home with an expanded team of Malaysian Doctors who will be monitoring his health.

Mugabe, who will turn 87 in February, had medical examinations while on holiday in Malaysia earlier this month. He returned home to Harare but his prostate flared and he has returned to Kuala Lumpur for the operation. There has been speculation over the President’s health especially after reports emerged that he was receiving treatment outside the country.

John Nkomo, who has been the acting Head of State, has since reverted back to his position of Vice-President while his counterpart Joice Mujuru is now the Acting President until the return of the President. This has heightened speculation over the health of the President, as each of the Vice-Presidents has in the past been appointed Acting President pending the return of the President.

However, this time the Vice-Presidents have rotated acting while the President was still out of the country. Nkomo was the Acting President from the time the President started his annual leave until January 15. Announcing the appointment of Vice-President Mujuru as Acting President on Wednesday, Charamba said:

“Please be advised that as of January 16, 2011, Honourable Vice-President JTR Mujuru is the Acting President of Zimbabwe until His Excellency President RG Mugabe who is on vacation comes back into office.”

Malaysian Home Affairs minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has declined to confirm or deny the reports.

“I cannot confirm that and I won’t (say) one way or the other,” the minister was quoted as saying in The Malaysian Insider newspaper on Monday. Speculation over the President’s health has been going on for some time. In September last year, President Mugabe publicly denied persistent rumours over his health.

“I don’t know how many times I die, but nobody has ever talked about my resurrection,” the President said at a meeting with Zimbabwean editors at State House.

“I suppose they don’t want to, because it would mean they would mention my resurrection several times and that would be quite divine an achievement for an individual who is not divine,” President Mugabe said.

“Jesus died once, and was resurrected only once, and poor (President) Mugabe several times. My time will come, but for now, no.” – Zimbabwe Mail with additional reporting from NewsDay