Mugabe urged to stand down after reading wrong speech
The 91-year old Zimbabwean president repeated a 25-minute address he gave to parliament last month
President Robert Mugabe is facing growing calls to resign after he read the wrong speech at the opening of parliament this week.
The 91-year old Zimbabwean leader delivered a 25-minute address without realising he had given the same speech last month, prompting claims from opponents that he is not fit to hold office.
"The fact that he went on and on and on up until the very end, shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mugabe is too old," said Obert Gutu, a spokesman for Movement for Democratic Change.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The rigours of his presidential office are too much for him, and ... at the advanced age of 91 [he] should do the honourable thing and step down from office."
Mugabe's office apologised for the incident and said the mix-up was due to a mistake made in the president's secretarial office, the BBC reports.
The opening of parliament was also overshadowed by reported death threats sent to several MDC members. Six opposition MPs received text messages from an unknown sender called ‘Death’.
The messages read: "Warning: Immunity ends in parliament... act wisely by not disturbing the proceedings of parliament."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Before Mugabe delivered his address, the parliamentary speaker warned MPs against disrupting proceeding after the opposition booed, heckled and sang protest songs during his last address.
But during today's speech, the opposition ministers remained silent while ruling ZANU-PF party supporters clapped at regular intervals, according to Reuters.
Africa’s oldest leader shows no sign of illness despite his age, and continues to deny rumours of prostate cancer.
Earlier this year, Mugabe tripped and fell over at an event in Harare. He was unharmed, but his security personal forced journalists at the scene to delete pictures and video of the fall, while his information minister denied the incident ever happened.
-
How climate change is affecting ChristmasThe Explainer There may be a slim chance of future white Christmases
-
The MAGA civil war takes center stage at the Turning Point USA conferenceIN THE SPOTLIGHT ‘Americafest 2025’ was a who’s who of right-wing heavyweights eager to settle scores and lay claim to the future of MAGA
-
The 8 best drama movies of 2025the week recommends Nuclear war, dictatorship and the summer of 2020 highlight the most important and memorable films of 2025
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users