HARARE – Since his return from annual leave President Robert Mugabe has spent more hours flying in and out of Harare while the economy is on auto cruise.
Government sources said Mugabe has paralysed government operations by his unnecessary absence since December.
Before he left for his annual leave he fired several deputy ministers paralysing government operations because they have not been replaced since then.
Mugabe left his new deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa in charge three days after being appointed the country’s new vice president.
In his absence no meaningful decisions are taken by government because he presides over all cabinet meetings.
“There was no cabinet meeting for the six weeks he has been on leave,” said a top government official.
The Zanu PF soviet-type politburo also does not convene whenever he is away.
Upon his arrival from the far East where he normally enjoys his leave, Mugabe had a busy schedule, flying to Ethiopia for an African Union Summit, shuttled to Singapore for what many believe to be a check up and he went to Zambia for the new president Edgar Lungu’s inauguration.
Mugabe also attended a SADC troika meeting in South Africa before he flew to Japan where he spent a week.
Last Friday Mugabe jetted into the country and left again for Namibia.
Sources say next week he is expected to pay a state visit to Algeria for two days. While Mugabe globe trots, the country has been rocked by a wave of protests which are testimony that all is not good as the economy takes a nosedive.