Johannesburg - Two journalists from privately-owned Harare newspaper, Newsday, editor Wisdom Mudzungairi and reporter Richard Chidzawere, were arrested on Friday allegedly in connection with a report they published about President Robert Mugabe’s latest "health scare".
They face charges of undermining or insulting the president.
Earlier in the week presidential spokesperson George Charamba said Mugabe had gone away for medical reasons. "His Excellency left this morning for Singapore for a scheduled medical check-up. We expect him back in the country early next week," he said.
Newsday reported Mugabe had gone to Singapore but said he had left on a charter flight because his usual aircraft, one of Air Zimbabwe’s two Boeing 767’s needed attention. The paper said first lady Grace Mugabe left Zimbabwe a day before her husband to arrange the charter. The report indicated Mugabe was ill.
There are regular rumours about President Robert Mugabe’s health when he goes to Singapore – that he is either dying or seriously ill.
Lawyer Obey Shava of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights confirmed the two journalists as well as legal assistant Sifikile Thabete working at the newspaper’s company, Alpha Media Holdings handed themselves in at Harare Central Police Station where they were summoned to report to the Law and Order department. The trio have since been released into the custody of their lawyer
Mugabe also visited his doctors in Singapore during the Christmas period during his annual holiday at the family’s luxurious home in Dubai.
Mugabe is also the world’s oldest leader, but his wife Grace said recently people would vote for him even if he was a “corpse.” Mugabe has confirmed he will be the Zanu PF candidate for presidential elections next year.
When he returned home recently amid rumours about his death, Mugabe said: "I have died many times. That's where I have beaten Christ. Christ died once and resurrected once. I am as fit as a fiddle. At this age, I can still go some distance, can't I?”
Mugabe usually seeks medical attention in Singapore at the expensive Gleneagles Hospital.
The main hospitals in Harare are unable to treat any patients at present as doctors have been on strike for two weeks and were this week joined by most nursing staff.
Many in opposition parties are highly critical of the first family’s expensive medical preferences. Even Bona Mugabe, the first couple’s eldest child, chose to have her first baby in Singapore last year.