By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
Joice Mujuru, the leader of the Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) political party, was at the weekend rushed to hospital over an undisclosed ailment.
Mujuru was President Robert Mugabe’s deputy between 2004 and late 2014 when a Zanu PF congress booted her on allegations of plotting to overthrow the party leader.
She was expelled from Zanu PF in early 2015 and subsequently led the formation of ZimPF which hold its maiden congress soon.
Mujuru was in Bulawayo at the weekend where she was supposed to make a solidarity appearance at the first anniversary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), another opposition party whose leader, Tendai Biti, and other members have been attending ZimPF rallies.
Addressing party members at the anniversary on Sunday, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, the PDP deputy president, announced that Mujuru would not make it for the event because she had been rushed to Harare for emergency medical attention.
“Dr Mujuru was supposed to be with us today (Sunday) but she fell ill. She had to be rushed to Harare to see doctors,” said Sipepa Nkomo.
The ZimPF Bulawayo provincial chairperson, one Bulayani Dube represented her and confirmed Mujuru’s sudden illness.
Mujuru had addressed a party rally in Gwanda on Saturday.
News of ill political leaders receives mixed feelings in Zimbabwe.
Speaking on Mujuru’s reported illness, Methuseli Moyo, the ZimPF national spokesperson, said about his boss: “She is a normal human being. She can fall sick but there is nothing to worry about.”
Mugabe’s spindoctors have over the years been busy quashing rumours around the 92-year-old president’s failing health, insisting that he is still fit enough to continue ruling the country.
He is reported to be suffering from prostate cancer, memory loss and weak eyesight, amid numerous claims of his death.
His critics maintain that he must retire because his has become too frail.
But his defenders have scoffed at ill-health befalling the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader, who was recently diagnosed with cancer of the colony.
They argued that MDC-T supporters must also call on Tsvangirai to step down as they were doing with Mugabe, but his loyalists still see nothing wrong with him continuing leading the party. Nehanda Radio
