Zimbabweans have learned to roll their eyes at the latest news of President Robert Mugabe's demise, and this time is no different. Having recently celebrated his 93rd birthday, he also announced his intention to run again for another five-year term in 2018.
The reason why he was back in the news again this week was in keeping with his regime's oppression of freedom of expression: Newsday reports that Remnant Church cleric Patrick Philip Mugadza will appear in court on Thursday for committing a crime by prophesying that the Mugabe would die this year on October 17.
"According to the court papers, on January 12 this year, Mugadza was interviewed by the Zimbabwe Mail, an online publication, and the State alleges he caused to be published a story captioned, Pastor Mugadza says President Mugabe to die in October 2017, which appeared on the same publication on January 13 this year. The State alleges in the interview Mugadza caused an offence and insulted the Christian religion and African tradition by uttering words which are taboo to predict someone's death," Newsday reports.
Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980, and has been the only one since the country's independence from Britain. No other African president currently in charge can claim that.