The Zimbabwean government has dismissed false reports that President Robert Mugabe collapsed and suffered a heart attack while on leave in the Far East, The Herald has reported.
The rumour mills ran wild on Wednesday following a Zim Eye report on the statesman’s declining health while vacationing with his family in Singapore.
The report, written in the form of a letter from an unknown source, claimed that Mugabe had suffered a heart attack and was allegedly left in a critical condition.
News of the president’s impending demise spread through social media like wildfire, with several international publications picking up the story.
Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba dismissed the rumours, however, describing the eports as “mischievous” and confirming that Mugabe was, in fact, fit and well.
According to a report by New Zimbabwe, Charamba accused Zim Eye of fabricating stories in order to make a profit. He also threatened to go after the website.
The hoax followed a trend that has almost become an annual phenomenon, with the public speculating over Mugabe’s health every year around the time of his annual leave.
Zim Eye has since exposed the alleged source of the letter, calling out ex-army captain Albert Matapo for sending through the report. The publication also alleged that Matapo was rumoured to have been working with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in plotting a coup in the country.
Source – News24
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