Mugabe told to 'stop making laughable public statements'

Former Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo says he is embarrassed for President Robert Mugabe for focusing on lies and pub talk instead of working to fix the country's comatose economy to alleviate the suffering of millions of Zimbabweans.

Gumbo advised Mugabe to "stop making laughable public statements" like the allegation that Mujuru had allegedly consulted Nigerian witchdoctors half-undressed to try and topple the 91-year-old from power.

"There are critical issues that we have to talk about like the economy. So, why would a whole head of State dwell on pub talk? "Is it really necessary to do that?

"Should we have a whole head of State talking of such trivial issues as sangomas? Are we being serious as a nation?" Gumbo asked rhetorically.

Gumbo and other senior party bigwigs, including Mujuru, were brutally purged before, during and after Zanu-PF's elective congress that was held in Harare in December last year, on allegations that they wanted to illegally topple and assassinate Mugabe.

However, Gumbo said yesterday that all the allegations that had been raised against him and the others were based on lies.