Questions as Mugabe skips Nyusi ceremony

via Questions as Mugabe skips Nyusi ceremony – NewZimbabwe 18 January 2015

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s conspicuous absence during last week’s inauguration of the new Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi has re-ignited speculation around the ageing leader’s health.

The elderly statesman who has made foreign travels and attending summits a career obsession is believed to be out in the Far East enjoying his annual month-long leave with close members of his family.

The soon to be 91 year old leader is known for turning away from funerals of local heroes and national disasters to attend international summits.

His foreign travels have earned him ridicule from some of his critics who accuse him of abandoning national duty.

Questions have been raised however as to why the current SADC chair skipped Nyusi’s state ceremony, choosing to send his second vice Phelekezela Mphoko, despite in the past, attending international events of lesser significance.

Harare based political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya said Nyusi’s lowly profile compared to his nationalist predecessors could be the reason why Mugabe stayed away from his inauguration.

“Ordinarily, he would have broken ranks with his holiday excursion and
come back but l think he has assessed the value addition and saw that this is a generation that is not nationalist enough,” Ngwenya said.

“Fatigue and just pure lack of interest could also have contributed to Mugabe’s absence.

“Issues of his poor health would not suffice as he is only three weeks away from the last time we saw him, unless if some possible decimating symptom would have shown itself.”

Ngwenya however said it was “totally irresponsible” for a SADC chair not to attend the inauguration of a leader of a country of such historical importance as Mozambique.

“I think he lost it this time,” he said.

Mozambique was a training base for the country’s liberation forces.

Mugabe last year flew off to the Vatican for the beautification of the late Pope John Paul II when Zimbabwe was facing the Tokwe-Mukosi flood disaster which displaced thousands of families.

Last year Mugabe stayed away from the burial of national hero Stanley Sakupwanya choosing to attend Malawi’s Golden Jubilee celebrations instead.

The globe-trotting leader was widely expected to act likewise and attend Nyusi’s inauguration but was a conspicuous absentee.

Outspoken academic Ibbo Mandaza could not be drawn into making a comment but insinuated all was not well with the veteran leader.

“There is a big story there, investigate it,” Mandaza said.

But Wellington Zindi, another Harare based analyst, said there was everything sinister about Mugabe’s no-show stance.

“As the current SADC chair, l think it is a very big anomaly to say how can he absent himself where one of the heads of state of a 14 member club is being inaugurated,” he said, adding, “I think there is a huge disparity there considering his track record in terms of African politics, how he has been like a hands-on kind of person.

“This is not the first time that President Mugabe has been on holiday but obviously this is the first time that he is on holiday while turning 91.

“So it could be that reality is dawning on him that he can’t be everywhere every time largely because of age restrictions.

“We understand that President Mugabe has not been enjoying very good health so he is trying to preserve the little energy that he is remaining with for the eventual take-over as AU chair in Ethiopia.”

But Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba said there was nothing
amiss with his boss’s absence during the Mozambican leader’s inauguration and further played down claims Mugabe had abandoned key national events for the love of foreign travels.

“He sent his deputy and what’s wrong with that?” Charamba said.

Reminded that Mugabe has never missed an opportunity to attend such occasions, he retorted, “he has done that this time”.

“I don’t have any problem with that; it’s only you (journalists) who are trying to make a big interesting story out of idleness. He sent his deputy and there is nothing untoward about that.

“It’s unusual for January and February to pass without a speculative story around the president’s health.

“Come on, let’s grow a bit older. I would refuse to be a fool by repeating the same story over and over again.”