PH
Zimbabwe’s opposition parties have reportedly hinted the need for President Robert Mugabe, 91, to step down, saying his old age and fragile health were “scaring away” investors.
According to Southern Eye, the opposition parties said Mugabe’s ill health contributed to the fear amongst investors who viewed the country as “unstable”.
The Opposition People’s Democratic Party’s Harare provincial spokesperson, Nqobizitha Khumalo, described Mugabe’s age and health as a “national concern”, saying no investor would invest in the country due to leadership uncertainty.
“The old man [Mugabe] is obviously not in the best of health. Everyone saw him tumbling at the airport. We also saw him fail to mount some very low steps in India right before world cameras,” Khumalo was quoted saying.
Mugabe fell down a staircase as he walked off a podium after addressing supporters at the Harare International Airport early last year.
Ten months later, the Zimbabwe leader took a little tumble in New Delhi, India while attending an Africa- India summit.
A former Movement for Democratic Change (MDP) member of parliament, Norman Mpofu, said international investors were also following the ruling Zanu-PF party’s factional fights with keen interest and “would continue sitting on the fence” until Mugabe left the political scene.
Reports indicate that tensions are intensifying between rival groups in Zanu-PF who are fighting to take over from Mugabe.
However, presidential spokesperson George Charamba ridiculed the comments, saying they had no time to discuss opposition parties as they never said anything positive about Zanu-PF leaders.
