Eritrea insists leader is ‘fit as a fiddle’

Eritrea has sought to quash speculation about president Isaias Afewerki’s health, saying he was “fit as a fiddle” and accusing the United States of spreading “lies” about his condition.

Rumours have been rife in the past few years that Mr Isaias, 66 in power since 1993 after leading his country to independence from Ethiopia, was in poor health and required regular trips abroad for treatment.

Speculation about his health has stirred up debate over who might eventually replace him. Mr Isaias has no obvious successor, but the opposition says he may be grooming his son, Abraham, for the top job.

Eritrea rejected speculation about his health late on Sunday in a special announcement aired on state television. “There has been widespread speculation in the past few weeks that President Isaias has fallen seriously ill,” the broadcast said.

“We would like to announce that President Isaias is fit as a fiddle and is in the best of health under all criteria,” it added.

Eritrea’s exiled opposition has alleged on several occasions that the president has a serious liver ailment and has been receiving medical attention in Qatar, with which his nation has close ties.

The broadcast showed a montage of Isaias sporting a baseball cap and making a short dash down a dirt track as he waved to bystanders in light rain.