Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is said to have been flown back to China for yet another round of medical treatment which saw him spend four months in the Asian country last year.
The 63-year-old former military commander has been battling poor health since last year.
During the past 12 months, Chiwenga has undergone treatment in South Africa, India and China.
He was last seen in public on June 25 attending the commissioning of a farm mechanisation scheme by John Deere at the Institute of Agricultural Engineering in Hatcliffe, Harare.
It was unclear as to what extent his health had deteriorated when a decision was made to take him to his Chinese doctors last week.
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On his last trip to China, in March, presidential spokesperson, George Charamba said he was going for a routine medical check-up.
“Chiwenga is in China for treatment. He has missed at least two cabinet meetings,” a government source said Tuesday.
Chiwenga was conspicuous by his absence on July 6 when Mnangagwa met provincial ministers in Harare, and on July 10 when the Zanu PF Politburo met at the party’s headquarters.
His travel to China comes at a time when health workers including nurses have embarked on a nationwide strike against poor salaries and working conditions leaving thousands of Zimbabweans unable to get medical treatment at public health centres.
(newzimbabwe.com)
