Zimbabwe’s vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa was on Saturday reportedly airlifted to a private hospital after he allegedly fell sick while President Robert Mugabe was addressing thousands of people attending a so-called Zanu PF Youth Interface Rally in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province.
According to the privately-owned Standard newspaper, Mnangagwa was admitted to a hospital in the Midlands capital after he was whisked away from Phelandaba Stadium in a police ambulance before he was airlifted to Gweru while vomiting blood.
The newspaper, which quoted Zanu PF sources, said Mnangagwa’s sickness could not be independently verified.
Some of the sources claimed that the vice president was allegedly poisoned while others noted that he may have been sick before eating food provided to dignitaries before the rally.
Party officials did not respond to VOA Studio 7 inquiries on Sunday afternoon.
Mnangagwa allegedly leads a faction of the ruling Zanu PF party known as Team Lacoste while the other group is said to be led by First Lady Grace Mugabe, who publicly attacked Mnangagwa’s colleagues recently for backing him to succeed President Mugabe.
Factionalism has gripped Zanu PF as Mr. Mugabe prepares to contest the 2018 presidential election at the age of 94.