Mystery surrounds Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
illness as two contending narratives have emerged following a food poisoning
scare which erupted while he was attending a Zanu PF youth interface rally in
Gwanda last week.
This comes amid indications Mnangagwa is likely to return
home this weekend after week-long medical treatment in South Africa.
There are two contending stories with regards to
Mnangagwa’s illness: the first is that of food poisoning which government has
proffered.
It entails that he ate contaminated food, while those close
to the vice-president say he ate poisoned food (food deliberately laced with
poison).
This week, Information minister Chris Mushowe allayed fears
that Mnangagwa could have been poisoned.
“I just wanted to allay fears that some people are getting
out of the mischievous social media maniacs who throw unfounded stories on the
social media. There is absolutely nothing like that. He is fine,” he said.
“Some stories went to the extent that perhaps he was
poisoned, some went to the extent that he ate ice cream from Gushungo Dairies.
What the doctors think happened is that perhaps he ate some stale food which
then means it is really not poison in the sense that the people are trying to
allege,” Mushowe said.
However, those close to Mnangagwa have dismissed the theory
that Mnangagwa ate “stale food” and are insisting the vice-president suffered
minor damages to his liver and kidney due to poisoning.
Chain of events
Mnangagwa left Harare with Defence minister Sydney
Sekeramayi and Health minister David Parirenyatwa and his deputy on Saturday
August 12 in the morning aboard an Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopter. He arrived
in Gwanda around 10am.
Sources said upon arrival Mnangagwa was looking healthy and
he attended the official launch of the Community Information Centre at Gwanda
Post Office.
After the launch, Mnangagwa and other delegates went to
Phelandaba Stadium for the youth interface rally.
“At 14:06pm Mnangagwa was at the high table while Mugabe
arrived a couple of minutes later,” said a government official.
“Proceedings quickly commenced upon the arrival of Mugabe.
The high table was served with water and some snacks which included samoosas,
ice cream and chicken pieces.”
Sources also said three waiters from State Residences
served the front row at the high table. “Those who sit on the right side of the
president had a waiter dedicated to them, while those seated on the left side
had a waiter of their own. One waiter was serving the president only,” said a
source.
Mnangagwa complains
Mnangagwa began to complain about 40 minutes after eating
the snacks.
“He began to shiver then decided to go to the back of the
VVIP tent where he vomited. Parirenyatwa and State security minister Kembo
Mohadi were called to the back of the tent,” a source said.
“Parirenyatwa asked for Mnangagwa to go into a ‘holding
room’ so that he could be examined. Mnangagwa obliged and went into the room
where Parirenyatwa examined him and suspected food poisoning which he said was
not a serious issue. Mnangagwa had also eaten fruits at the helicopter.”
Mnangagwa then went back to the high table and after about
five minutes he left again and headed to the toilet where he vomited and had a
running stomach.
“Parirenyatwa escorted him to the toilet and at this time
Mnangagwa was sweating profusely,” said an official.
Sources said Parirenyatwa suggested that Mnangagwa be taken
to Gwanda Hospital or Bulawayo for further tests as he was feeling weak.
“Mnangagwa opted to be flown to Gweru to his personal
doctor. He was accompanied by Parirenyatwa to Gweru,” the official said.
A source said they arrived in Gweru around 5pm and
“Mnangagwa was shivering and experienced memory lapses”.
“His doctor quickly sedated him to ease pressure on his
organs as he suspected something more than just food poisoning.”
Military intervention
Between 7pm and 8pm Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander
Constantino Chiwenga dispatched an air ambulance (from ACE Air & Ambulance
Pvt Ltd) to Gweru so that Mnangagwa be moved to the Manyame military hospital
with plans to fly him to South Africa.
“Chiwenga — who was later seen at the Hrare International
Airport that evening — also flew to Gweru and then accompanied Mnangagwa to
Manyame airbase.
“Military doctors took over and conducted basic tests and
again sedated him with hopes of flushing out poison traces.”
Sources said by the time he was in Harare, the diarrhoea
had stopped but he was still shivering and walking unsteadily.
Sources also said Chiwenga flew to South Africa on Tuesday
evening to visit the ailing vice-president who had been accompanied by
General’s wife Mary.
South Africa trip
Sources said Mnangagwa wanted to go home on Sunday morning
after the military doctors said results of the tests will be known in the next
four days.
However, Chiwenga suggested that Mnangagwa be flown to
South Africa for further tests to ascertain the nature of the poison he had
consumed. Sources also said a private jet (Flight number ZS-SRU) was arranged
from South Africa to come fetch Mnangagwa to the Wits University Donald Gordon
Medical Centre, where family members say he was told he suffered “minor liver
and kidney damages”. Mushowe has dismissed foul play. Zimbabwe Independent
0 comments:
Post a Comment