Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is reportedly fighting for his
life in a Singapore hospital with his wife and close family by his
bedside.
The 88-year-old dictator, who is believed to be suffering from
prostate cancer, flew to Singapore late last month on what his
aides described as a "private visit".
A senior member of Mr Mugabe's Zanu PF party told The Zimbabwe Mail
that Mr Mugabe was enjoying an Easter break with his family in
Asia, and denied that he was seeking treatment for a medical
condition.
However, rumours are swirling that the ageing leader, now in power
for three decades, is seeking treatment for prostate cancer
following several bouts of therapy in Asia in recent years.
Mr Mugabe was said to be close to death last night and was
surrounded by close family, including his wife, Grace, Britain's
Daily Mail reported.
It came as sources close to Mr Mugabe told The Daily Telegraph in
London that Mr Mugabe had reached a secret "gentleman's agreement"
to hand over power in Zimbabwe to his feared Defence Minister,
Emmerson Mnangagwa, a former spy chief nicknamed "The Crocodile"
and known for his ruthless style.
Mr Mnangagwa was widely blamed for the brutality following the 2008
presidential election after Mr Mugabe's rival, Morgan Tsvangirai,
took an early lead in the voting.
Mr Mugabe's aides said he was also in Singapore to oversee
arrangements for his daughter Bona to begin post-graduate
university study, The Zimbabwe Mail reported.
"The President is on his Easter holidays, like everyone else," the
unidentified aide told the newspaper.
"He returns to his post this week, at the same time as those who
are asking about his whereabouts from their holiday hideouts."
Under Mr Mugabe’s rule, Zimbabwe has been racked by political
turmoil.
The former guerilla leader was hailed a hero when he led Zimbabwe
to independence in 1980 from the white-minority Rhodesian
regime.
But after a promising start to his leadership, the country
experienced a spectacular economic collapse. Mr Mugabe has since
been accused of murdering thousands of Zimbabweans and crushing all
opposition to his rule to retain a stranglehold on the
presidency.
http://www.monashweekly.com.au/news/world/world/general/mugabe-close-to-death-reports/2515883.aspx
