Mugabe has cancer, says WikiLeaks

Monday,

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has prostate cancer and was in 2008 told by doctors that he had five years to live, leaked United States diplomatic cables claim.

One of the cables released at the weekend by the whistle blower website Wikileaks says Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono revealed the 87 year-old’s battle with cancer to former US ambassador James McGee during a private meeting.

Mr Gono is President Mugabe’s personal banker and is believed to be very close to Zimbabwe’s First Family.

“According to Gono, Mugabe’s doctor had recommended he cut back on his activities,” reads part of the 2008 cable dated.

“Gono told us last year that Mugabe was ill and that his doctor had urged him to step down immediately.

“Mugabe told his doctor, according to Gono that he would leave office after the election.”

In the past there have been rumours that the veteran ruler suffers from prostate cancer. Early this year he made about five trips to Singapore where he was said to be receiving treatment. He dismissed the reports saying he had only gone for an operation to remove a cataract in one of his eyes.

President Mugabe has also been pushing for an early election with analysts saying he fears a delay would complicate his campaign. He says he now wants the elections to be held early next year after the re-writing of a new constitution.

Judging from the time frame allegedly given by the central bank chief, Zimbabwe’s only ruler since independence in 1980 would not live beyond 2013. But Dr Gono denied ever talking to the US envoy about the president’s health.

“It is crap to even waste time commenting on the rogue ambassador’s opinions, fictional mind or what kind of grass he had smoked as he was penning his master,” he said in a statement on Monday.

“But attempting to quote me on awkward topics, these guys were trying to authenticate their pre-gathered, preconceived notions about a particular matter to add credibility to their imaginations.”

Despite reports of President Mugabe’s health, Western diplomats who have met him say he has always appeared healthy and alert for his age.

He says he fears that when he leaves the scene his party Zanu PF, which he has led since the 1960s will disintegrate because of factionalism.