‘Mugabe is on holiday, not ill’

Zimbabwean officials have dismissed reports that president Robert Mugabe, 88, is seriously ill in Singapore, saying he was well and on holiday there with his family.

Rugare Gumbo, chief spokesman for Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party, yesterday told state TV the reports were “lies meant to destabilise Zimbabwe” and added that he would return home this week.

The president has been the subject of several health scares in recent years, with some reports saying he has cancer, but in February interviews with state media he laughed off suggestions that he was seriously ill.