John Nkomo son says Vice President not dead

Despite swirling rumours on Friday that Zimbabwe Vice President John Nkomo had died at a private hospital in South Africa, his son Jabulani has told us “It’s not true. I was speaking to him just now and dead people don’t talk.”

Minister for Media Information and Publicity Webster Shamu also dismissed the rumours saying “It’s not true at all. These are the usual rumours that are thrown around by our detractors who do not seem to wish us well,” he said. Nkomo’s home in Milton Park in Harare showed no sign of a funeral wake.

Last month the 76 year old Nkomo collapsed at his Harare home and was airlifted to an exclusive clinic in South Africa for treatment on a ‘life threatening’ medical condition. He was “weak and unable to walk unaided,” reports said at the time.

At the clinic, his condition was considered to be life-threatening, and doctors advised him to stay in for observation,” reports said. It’s believed he was diagnosed with some type of cancer in 2008.

The Vice President appeared in public when he attended the burial ceremony for Retired General Solomon Mujuru at Heroes’ Acre on Saturday. Nkomo looked weak and used a cane as well as two assistants to help him walk.

He immediately flew back to South Africa where he had reportedly been constantly admitted at a private hospital.

Nkomo’s condition last week forced President Robert Mugabe to appoint a grieving Vice-President Joice Mujuru to be Acting President when he left for the Sadc summit in Angola.

The Lands and Resettlement Minister, Herbert Murerwa, is also reported to be seriously ill and has been in a hospital in South Africa for almost a month now, allegedly suffering from colon cancer. Reports quoted ZANU PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, who said Murerwa “had an operation”.

Meanwhile the co-Minister for Home Affairs Theresa Makone, who was rumoured to have been hospitalized on Monday after being taken suddenly ill, is reported to be well enough to return to work.

Earlier reports suggested that “Mai Makone” had suffered a minor stroke, but this was denied by the MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora.