Many Zimbabweans believe that their President, Robert Mugabe (92), has taken refuge in Singapore. Mugabe, the world’s oldest head of state with 36 years of a one-man dictatorship-rule, has been accused of destroying one Africa’s most hopeful economies, Zimbabwe.
He is also accused of butchering some 20,000 civilians, of corrupting their legal system, of wrecking one of Africa’s best education and health systems, and also of forcing half the Zimbabwe’s population to seek refuge in neighbouring countries.
In 2013, it was reported that Mugabe’s daughter graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning here in Singapore, and that her parents attended the graduation ceremony.
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In 2014, UK’s Channel 4 news reported that he was seeking treatment at the Gleneagles Hospital. It also reported that the President’s wife, Grace, and his bodyguard attempted to stop its cameraman from filming his visit to the hospital. A spokesperson for the President Mugabe later told news agencies that it was a regular checkup for an eye infection.
Another news website reporting on the President has claimed that Mugabe’s visits to Singapore has been a regular, monthly affair and that even his aides have stopped claiming otherwise.
Zimeye, a Zimbabwean news agency reported on 5 Aug that several of its nationals protested outside the Singaporean embassy in that country. The protesters wanted to hand the Embassy a petition appealing to the Republic to stop the strongman from entering Singapore.
According to the news report, the Singapore news agency called on the British Police to not only stop the protesters, but also to arrest and chase them away. But the British Police instead of dispersing the crowd, mediated on behalf of the Zimbabweans with the Embassy to allow three of its representatives into the Consulate’s compound to deliver the petition.
The protesters claim that history has been made because it was the first time the Singapore Embassy was made to accept such petitions. The petitioners asked the Singapore authorities to stop Mugabe from entering the Republic because Zimbabweans are suffering while their President is receiving the best possible care in Singapore.
One protester claims that he must be stopped because he was using “money he has has been stealing from the Government ever since he has been ruling.” One of the placards the protesters held read “Shame on Mugabe’s Singapore investments”.
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Zimbabwe has seen several protests in recent months with unemployment above 80 percent,
With unemployment standing at above 80 percent, Zimbabwe has seen several protests in recent months. The President, whose 36-year-rule, has been anchored by the country’s army has seen dollar shortages, commodity prices slump, and furthermore, it is also suffering from its worst drought for 25 years. Affected citizens have been using social media to organise anti-government protests in recent months.
The Zimbabwean Army on Saturday (6 Aug) said that it will deal with such protests because social media activism was cyber warfare. It has been reported that neither the Army nor the Police in that country have been paid since June.
Robert Mugabe announced today that his government is working on measures to avoid delays in salary payments to soldiers, police officers and other public employees.