Mugabe in another near-fall

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday came close to yet another embarrassing fall when he stumbled while stepping out of his official vehicle on arrival at the Exhibition Centre for the official opening of this year's Harare Agricultural Show.

Thousands who had gathered at the Glamis Arena did not see the incident as Mugabe was sandwiched by hordes of security details, but the incident was captured live by ZBC cameras.

Early last year, Mugabe tumbled in public at Harare International Airport soon after landing from the African Union summit in Ethiopia.

Mugabe in October last year almost fell over backwards as he tried to climb onto a one-step dais, before Indian Premier Narendra Modi and his aides rushed to his rescue during the Africa-India summit in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, visiting Sierra Leonean Vice-President Victor Bockarie Foh has challenged African governments to ensure farmers get access to cheap finance to guarantee food security.

Officially opening the show yesterday, Foh said: "I am confident that through concerted efforts, during the first 24 months of our Ebola recovery period, we will see the doubling of production in rice and other key crops and in the process create an estimated 10 000 jobs for our youths."