Mugabe’s losing his marbles, says MDC after latest gaffe
HARARE: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, 91, made a speech blunder yesterday during the opening of the third session of the eighth Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Instead of reading the parliamentary opening speech, Mugabe re-read his State of the Nation address, which he delivered in late August, during which he pinned his hopes on China to help revive Zimbabwe’s struggling economy. Presidential spokesman George Charamba acknowledged the blunder.
“There has been a mix-up of speeches resulting in a situation where his excellency the president delivered the wrong speech,” Charamba said.
“The mix-up happened in his secretarial office, therefore the delivery in parliament should be set aside. The error is sincerely regretted and corrective measures are being considered.”
Charamba said Mugabe would read the correct speech at a Harare hotel later.
But the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said the blunder called into question his fitness to hold office.
Mugabe shows no visible signs of illness and has denied reports that he suffers from prostate cancer. He has dismissed a fall at Harare airport on April 4 as a simple slip.
“This is a historic blunder. Anyone who is still of sound mind would have quickly picked it up that the speech was the wrong one,” said the MDC’s Obert Gutu. “But it dovetails with what we in the MDC have been saying – that Robert Mugabe is no longer fit for purpose. He should resign.”
Last December, Mugabe shocked delegates at the ZanuPF congress held in Harare when he unwittingly denounced his own party.
Zanu-PF officials often denounce Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC. But in this instance, Mugabe said: “Pasi neZanu PF”, meaning: “Down with ZanuPF.”