News / Local
Mugabe on leave, flies out
21 Dec 2016 at 03:21hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe has embarked on his traditional annual leave
amid reports that he left the country last night , Bulawayo24.com has learnt.
Mugabe has in recent years spent the festive season tucked away in the Far East with his family.
His destination was not immediately clear.
Presidential spokesman George Charamba confirmed the leave.
"President Mugabe has started a month-long annual leave, part of which will be spent outside the country".
Rumours that the president has been ill invariably do the rounds when he is on his annual leave.
Mugabe leaves the country days after being endorsed by all Zanu PF party structures to be the 2018 presidential candidate.
The endorsement in Masvingo was met with resounding applause from thousands of supporters attending the annual conference, chanting in Shona language "tongai, tongai baba" meaning "rule, rule father".
Mugabe has been in power since independence from British colonial rule in 1980. He has avoided naming a successor or laying out plans to retire.
He once joked that he would rule until he turned 100.
The absence of a clear successor has sparked infighting, including verbal exchanges on social media in recent weeks between factions angling for his position.
Mugabe has in recent years spent the festive season tucked away in the Far East with his family.
His destination was not immediately clear.
Presidential spokesman George Charamba confirmed the leave.
"President Mugabe has started a month-long annual leave, part of which will be spent outside the country".
Rumours that the president has been ill invariably do the rounds when he is on his annual leave.
Mugabe leaves the country days after being endorsed by all Zanu PF party structures to be the 2018 presidential candidate.
The endorsement in Masvingo was met with resounding applause from thousands of supporters attending the annual conference, chanting in Shona language "tongai, tongai baba" meaning "rule, rule father".
Mugabe has been in power since independence from British colonial rule in 1980. He has avoided naming a successor or laying out plans to retire.
He once joked that he would rule until he turned 100.
The absence of a clear successor has sparked infighting, including verbal exchanges on social media in recent weeks between factions angling for his position.
Source - Byo24News
