Ailing Zimbabwe army commander airlifted to China

General Constantine Chiwenga the man behind a murderous campaign that saw over 500 MDC supporters killed because Mugabe lost the elections in 2008 is not well and has been airlifted to China for treatment.

Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday confirmed the army chief had gone to China for medical attention and would be back in the country on Friday. Mnangagwa however refused to confirm reports Chiwenga was airlifted and his condition was critical.

Mnangagwa said “What I know is that he had gone for medical checkups, we all go for medical checkups. Don’t you go for routine medical checkups yourself?” Sources who spoke to local daily newspaper NewsDay have revealed that the army chief had eight days ago fallen seriously ill and was immediately airlifted to China.

Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander, Air Marshal Perence Shiri, is now the acting Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. On Thursday Chiwenga was absent from the Heroes Acre where brutal CIO boss Mernard Muzariri, was buried. Muzariri was one of the most brutal operators during the Gukurahundi Massacres.

It has been a bad year for Mugabe himself battling cancer of the prostrate. He has had to watch his allies drop dead one by one. In addition to Muzariri he has had to bury controversially appointed governor David Karimanzira and his wife Grace Mugabe is said to be suffering a dislocated hip and is in Singapore for treatment.