Health Scare Sends Mugabe Home

Mugabe’s health has found its way into the headlines once again.

Hardly surprising, since he is 86 years old and really should have retired years ago. But Mugabe’s fears of being arrested for his activities in the past 30 years outweigh his fear of death.

And, because he is so used to fighting off any criticism or weakness, brought on as a result of his totalitarian rule, he refuses to make his health concerns public, preferring to hide them from the public’s prying eyes.

Which, in turn, then makes the question mark over his health all the more intriguing.

Mugabe was due to fly on to Ecuador to be conferred with an honorary doctorate from a 'home grown' university - but this he cancelled and went home to Zimbabwe instead.

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"The ailing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe cut short his visit abroad on Friday and immediately returned home amid reports that he fell ill and collapsed in a New York hotel, sources in the coalition government revealed on Monday.

Mugabe’s loyal state radio said he arrived home Sunday from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, but, as expected, it did not give details of his failing health woes, but The Zimbabwe Mail can reveal that Mugabe collapsed in his hotel room on his way from the toilet and his wife raised alarm to the medical team and security agents."

Obviously, we cannot expect anyone in Mugabe's office or anyone in the pro-Mugabe news media in Zimbabwe to confirm that the President collapsed. I do believe that if we watch to see if Mugabe makes a public appearance in the next couple of days - and, if he does, is he looking frail and ill - will be about the only reference point that we have.

"A source in the delegation accompanying the President told our reporter in Harare that President Mugabe collapsed in his hotel after a busy day shopping in Manhattan and his personal doctor and secret services agents worked all night to help the aging long-time ruler recover his fitness.

Staff at the Hotel where President Mugabe was staying said they saw an ambulance in the late hours of Friday night and it stayed for about 15 minutes and it left without picking any one.

The hotel’s security also confirmed that they spotted unusual busy activities in the fourth floor occupied by President Mugabe and his large contigent of security details and medical staff.

"When we sent a member of our team to check if they needed help, they (Mugabe’s security men) were so aggressive and threatened to beat him up," said the security chief at the hotel.

"As a matter of security procedure, we approached the ambulance driver and asked him why he had parked for so long, and he told us that one of our special guests needed emergency medical help."

Just to throw a spanner in the works – Mugabe has been the recipient of many doctorates and honorary degrees, although some of these have been stripped from him as his real character revealed itself. Is there a chance that Mugabe actually worked out for himself that the doctorate to be given to him was a little suspect?

I doubt it.

Robb WJ Ellis

The Bearded Man