Mugabe flown to Singapore, 'HEALTH?'

President Robert Mugabe flew to Singapore last week, raising further speculation about his health amid reports that his condition deteriorated soo after his return from a United Nations summit in New York, The Zimbabwe Mail reported on Saturday.

Country's Information Minister, Webster Shamu confirmed that President Robert Mugabe had gone to the Asian country to seek treatment, saying it was for a review on the cataract operation the president had earlier this year.

Mugabe's health remains a closely guarded secret, although there is speculation that he suffers from prostate cancer.

As speculation on Mugabe's health mounts, leaked US embassy cables revealed that in 2008 Mugabe's confidante and central bank governor, Gideon Gono told American envoys that the president had cancer and would die in three to five years.

Mugabe's trips to Asia have increased in frequency in recent months and by March he had exhausted most of his budget allocation for trips. Each of his trips to Asia gobbles about $3 million.

Recent figures about how much he has used for foreign travel are, however, not available. Early this year he made about five trips to Singapore where he was said to be receiving treatment.

He dismissed the reports saying he had only gone for an operation to remove the cataract in one of his eyes.

Mugabe has also been pushing for an early election with analysts saying he fears a delay would complicate his campaign.

He says he now wants the elections to be held early next year after the re-writing of a new constitution.