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President Mugabe yesterday returned home from a visit to the United Arab Emirates, laughing off speculation on his health and rumours about “his death”.
The President who was in high spirits touched down at Harare International Airport just before 8am and fielded questions from journalists following claims by some media houses and opposition political functionaries that he was dead.
President Mugabe drew laughter when he said, “Yes, I was dead. It’s true I was dead. I resurrected like I always do. Once I get back to my country, I am real.”
President Mugabe said he had gone to Dubai to check on his son, Robert Jr, who is studying there.
“Ndakanga ndaenda kunogadzirira mwana kuDubai,” said the President, who was received by Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Government ministers Dr Ignatius Chombo (Home Affairs), Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs), Miriam Chikukwa (Harare Provincial Affairs), other senior State officials and service chiefs.
Last week, the private media wildly speculated that President Mugabe had collapsed and had been rushed to Singapore, with some people even claiming – without providing a shred of proof – that the Head of State and Government had passed away.
Back in 2010, faced with similar unsubstantiated claims from the same quarters, President Mugabe said: “I don’t know how many times I die but nobody has ever talked about my resurrection.
“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. Jesus died once, and resurrected only once, and poor Mugabe several times.”
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter