Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Africa

Two Zimbabwe Journalists Arrested Over Report Describing Mugabe as ‘in Bad Shape’

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, center, falls after addressing supporters upon his return from an African Union meeting in Ethiopia, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. Mugabe, 90, was elected chairman of the African Union and is set to celebrate his 91st birthday on Feb. 21. (AP Photo)

Harare (AFP) – Two Zimbabwean journalists were arrested Friday over a newspaper report that described President Robert Mugabe as “in bad shape” when he flew to Singapore for what officials called a scheduled medical check-up.

Editor of independent newspaper NewsDay Wisdom Mudzungairi and journalist Richard Chidza were released ahead of a court appearance on Saturday.

The front-page story said that Mugabe, 93, had “sneaked out of the country” this week, and quoted an unnamed source saying “it’s a tricky health situation”.

The report, headlined “Mugabe in fresh health scare”, said that first lady Grace Mugabe had flown to Dubai to organise the charter flight.

“They have been arrested and charged with undermining and insulting the office of the president,” said their lawyer Obey Shava before their release.

He said their arrest was “in relation to the paper’s lead story”.

Mugabe’s trip to Singapore, shortly after his lavish 93rd birthday party, was announced by his press spokesman on Wednesday.

The president is expected to return early next week.

Mugabe’s health has been subject of increased speculation in recent years, and he regularly flies to Singapore for medical attention.

Despite his advanced age, Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party last year endorsed him as its candidate for the 2018 general elections.

In recent speeches, he has paused for lengthy periods and mumbled at times.

__________

Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng

Copyright 2017 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. lizzi

    March 4, 2017 at 7:55 am

    They don’t know Mugabe very well, if not they won’t have tried nonsense… that man wey no send u…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Related

Africa

One of Zimbabwe’s most influential diplomats, Uebert Angel, who was charged with a gold-smuggling scheme, has reportedly been stripped off his diplomatic status, Daily...

Africa

Grace Mugabe, the widow of Zimbabwe’s longtime former ruler Robert Mugabe, has challenged a court order to exhume her husband’s remains for reburial at...

Africa

Zimbabwe’s government on Saturday imposed a national lockdown with immediate effect, following a surge in Covid-19 cases, creating a major problem for most citizens...

Africa

Zimbabwe Health Minister Obadiah Moyo was arrested by police on Friday over allegations of corruption in government procurement of around $60 million worth of...

Copyright ©