Mnangagwa speaks of deputy’s health
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has spoken for the first time about the health of his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, amid rumours that the former army general is receiving treatment in India after being poisoned by political rivals within Zanu-PF.
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has spoken for the first time about the health of his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, amid rumours that the former army general is receiving treatment in India after being poisoned by political rivals within Zanu-PF.
The allegations of poisoning are the latest script in the dogeat-dog political battles of Zimbabwe’s governing party, in which Chiwenga has been one of the main actors. He masterminded the effective coup that saw former president Robert Mugabe step down under duress in November 2017.
After the coup, Chiwenga was appointed vice-president and has been widely touted as the next in line to succeed Mnangagwa. A fortnight ago Chiwenga was widely reported to be in SA for treatment, before flying back home and being airlifted to India a few days later.
After his return, Chiwenga made a brief public appearance on national television “to prove that he was alive and well”, but this only succeeded in showing the public that his health had taken a turn for the worse.
Addressing a party rally in Masvingo province on Saturday, Mnangagwa chose his words carefully as he explained that Chiwenga was receiving treatment: “Gen Chiwenga is not feeling well. So that is why he is not with us here. We thought it would be important to officially make this announcement to guard against the spreading of wrong information.”
Last week, deputy information, publicity and broadcasting services minister Energy Mutodi said Chiwenga had been airlifted to India for treatment for a minor abdominal ailment.
“The vice-president is recovering well from some minor abdominal ailment in Delhi, India,” he tweeted without revealing further details.
It was not immediately clear why the government would fly someone all the way to India for a “minor” ailment.
After Mutodi’s comments, media reports suggested Chiwenga may be suffering from polonium-201 poisoning, which is difficult to diagnose without the assistance of nuclear scientists. The reports stated that Chiwenga was said to have been poisoned during or soon after the November 2017 coup.
Government sources said the poisoning narrative was the most plausible scenario as Chiwenga had created enemies in the Zanu-PF hierarchy. “This is like Game of
Thrones; we cannot rule out poisoning,” said a source who works in the Zimbabwean government.” A person cannot go as far as India to be treated for a minor abdominal ailment. It shows that this is something very serious, which doctors in SA may have failed to deal with.
“What we know is that his actual condition is being kept as a closely guarded secret. Only the president and a few other people know the actual condition.” said the source.
Not long after the 2017 coup Chiwenga rapidly developed visible health problems, with his hands becoming swollen and discoloured patches appearing on his skin. His wife developed the same symptoms.
Mnangagwa has dismissed reports that there are divisions between him and Chiwenga, saying: “The people who talk about these divisions, what example do they give? I have known Chiwenga and his colleagues in the military since the struggle years.”
In August 2017 Mnangagwa was poisoned at a rally in Gwanda but survived after he was airlifted to SA for treatment.
HIS ACTUAL CONDITION IS BEING KEPT AS A CLOSELY GUARDED SECRET. ONLY THE PRESIDENT AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE KNOW