Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
00HARARE4987
2000-09-08 09:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

PRESIDENT MUGABE'S HEALTH

Tags:  PREL PINR ZI 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 

 CONFIDENTIAL PTO7096

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7035
INFO NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 004987 

SIPDIS

FROM AMBASSADOR MCDONALD FOR AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/10
TAGS: PREL PINR ZI
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MUGABE'S HEALTH

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND
(D).

REF: STATE 171074
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 04987 080946Z

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 004987

SIPDIS

FROM AMBASSADOR MCDONALD FOR AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/10
TAGS: PREL PINR ZI
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MUGABE'S HEALTH

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND
(D).

REF: STATE 171074
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 04987 080946Z


1. (U) WE HAVE HEARD RECENT RUMORS CIRCULATING IN HARARE
THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE COLLAPSED -- IN PRIVATE -- THREE
TIMES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS -- ONCE IN MAPUTO AND
TWICE MORE IN TRIPOLI WHILE EN ROUTE TO NEW YORK FOR THE
MILLENIUM SUMMIT. PRESS REPORTS, CITING ANONYMOUS SOURCES
IN THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, HAVE SPECULATED THAT MUGABE
SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK, A STROKE, OR A SUICIDE ATTEMPT.
PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN GEORGE CHARAMBA DISMISSED THE
SPECULATION, ATTRIBUTING IT TO "APRIL FOOLS," AND
PRONOUNCED MUGABE "FIT AS A FIDDLE."


2. (C) WE CANNOT CONFIRM WHETHER MUGABE DID IN FACT
COLLAPSE, BUT WE DO NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE
COULD BE SUFFERING FROM FATIGUE OR EXHAUSTION. HE HAS HAD
A FULL TRAVEL SCHEDULE DURING THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WITH
VISITS TO MAPUTO, TRIPOLI, PARIS, AND NEW YORK. WE NOTE
THAT, FROM OUR DISTANT PERSPECTIVE, THE PRESIDENT DID NOT
APPEAR TO HAVE ANY SERIOUS PHYSICAL AILMENT DURING HIS BUSY
SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC APPEARANCES WHILE ON HIS CURRENT VISIT
TO NEW YORK.


3. (C) RUMORS ABOUT MUGABE'S HEALTH SURFACE REGULARLY
HERE. WE, HOWEVER, HAVE SEEN OR HEARD NOTHING TO SUGGEST
THAT THE 76 YEAR-OLD PRESIDENT IS SUFFERING FROM
DEBILITATING HEALTH PROBLEMS OR A DETERIORATION IN MENTAL
ACUITY (HE DID HAVE SURGERY FOR THROAT PROBLEMS IN 1996 AND
RECEIVED TREATMENT FOR A URINARY TRACT DISORDER IN 1994).
HE REMAINS PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, DOING DAILY EARLY MORNING
SIT-UPS, AND APPEARS AS PHYSICALLY VIGOROUS AND AS MENTALLY
SHARP AS EVER IN HIS PUBLIC APPEARANCES HERE.
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 HARARE 04987 080946Z

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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