Tsvangirai feels for Mugabe, wishes him well

Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said he feels for President Robert Mugabe and wishes him well following the latter's tripping at the airport on Wednesday.

Tsvangirai, the opposition leader who has become President Mugabe's political arch-foe since he emerged onto the scene at the turn of the century, told journalists in a brief interview that he felt for the president.

"I feel for him. It was an unfortunate incident and I hope he receives the care that he deserves," said Tsvangirai.

With his MDC-T party spokesperson Obert Gutu having told news agencies that the president's "tripping" should be enough reason to retire, Tsvangirai seemed concerned and sought to project a humane tone.

On the other hand, another faction of the opposition, MDC renewal team expressed anger at the harassment of journalists in the aftermath of the incident.

"While we are not celebrating the unfortunate incident that saw the president falling, we condemn in the strongest terms the harassment of journalists who were interrogated and ordered to delete pictures from their cameras.

"The fact that pictures and video footage of the now famous tumble have gone viral is a stark reminder to the state that in this day and age of advanced technology, it is near impossible to silence the citizens' voice," the group said in a statement.

President Mugabe missed a step and tumbled as he walked to his official car moments after addressing supporters at the Harare International Airport on his return from a working visit to the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia.

He was last week appointed AU chairperson and declared he was going to lead the continental body on a new trajectory towards development.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe yesterday reported for duty at his Munhumutapa offices to chair a Cabinet meeting despite Wednesday's carpet mishap.

In a statement, the presidential spokesperson George Charamba said the president arrived at his offices walking unaided and told him that he was fine, dismissing the incident as a mere slip.

"The president's ability to report for work without any difficulties is in direct contrast with the misrepresentation in private and Western-sponsored media who had a field day in trying to portray the trip as a huge fall which they also tried to associate with his age when in actual fact it was a mere trip that was caused by a poorly laid out carpet," Charamba said.

According to Charamba, the president reportedly dismissed the incident as "just a fall" and did not seem perturbed.

Cabinet normally sits on Tuesday, but was forced to defer to Thursday because of President Mugabe's commitments at the African Union summit.